The Tomcat (Cancelled-ish)
by Jowijo
Summary: Following an incident involving laser pointers and Darwin's fishbowl, Gumball and Anais kick off a series of events ranging from nonsensical, paranormal, and outright ridiculous. All in an effort to become closer as brother and sister. In the process, they uncover some unsettling secrets about the world they live in. [Not a sibship]
1. The Brother

The Weekend was almost over

Gumball Tristopher Watterson was more than aware of it, and by no means was he happy about it. This week in particular had not been kind to the blue cat: Mrs Simian, keeping to her unabiding hatred for Gumball, was sure to churn out a steady flow of impossible schoolwork that resulted in the usual carousel of 'F's across his progress report; which in turn turned Friday evening into the usual routine of Niccole accosting her eldest child for his frustrating lack of attention or care towards his schoolwork.

In other words, nothing out of the ordinary.

Now it was Sunday. His parents and pet fish Darwin had left to buy the later a new bowl. It had been clear for some time the anthropomorphic fish had well outgrown his childhood container; it also didn't help that Gumball had smashed it, but that's a story for another time.

"Well… At least now I can have some time to myself." Gumball thought aloud.

Letting off a slight bemused grin at this notion, he wandered upstairs to his room with the intent of watching some videos on the internet, perhaps read some fanfiction based on an above-average animated sitcom with talking animals; anything to take his mind off the drudge that made up the last five days.

His optimism was greeted with a disheartening sight. It turned out he was not alone. When mom and dad had mentioned they were going out, Gumball had assumed Anais wouldn't dare stay home with him, but sure enough, there she was; occupying the very computer that he had hoped would provide some mindless escapism.

Instead, it informed him that he was babysitting his pretentious rabbit sister.

"What are you doing here?" Gumball asked his sister as he entered his room.

His initial inquiry was ignored, and it was quick to see why: full-screen on the monitor, he could see what appeared to be a new episode of Daisy the Donkey. Gumball strut beside the desk chair, turning it to face him. He was greeted with glowers and a growl.

"What are you doing!" Anais complained, "I'm trying to watch my show!"

"Oh stop," Gumball smirked dismissively reaching for the mouse and pausing the video, "How come mom didn't tell me I was babysitting you?"

"Babysitting?" Anais cocked an eyebrow, "You do realize they're only out to get Darwin a new fishbowl, right?"

"I don't think you realize how picky Darwin is about picking out this bowl. He has a certain shape, color; don't even get me started on decorations. 'Fish grew legs, and now he thinks he's a interior designer-but yeah, I'll be making us lunch, sis."

If Anais didn't make her dissatisfaction with this clear by her soured expression, she sure made it so as she hopped off the desk chair; making a beeline for the door.

"I don't think so Gumball," Anais huffed with an air of snark, "I'll just order us a pizza."

"No you won't, Anais." Gumball sighed. "I am perfectly capable of cooking. You know how mom is about ordering—"

Anais was halfway down the stairs.

"Anais!" Gumball growled as he sped past her, turning to block her descent; only to then strafe side to side, blocking his sister's attempts to pass by his blockade.

"I. Siad. No!" Gumball hissed. "I got this, okay?"

"I don't believe you, Gumball." Anais glowered, armed crossed.

"Man, you sure got a complex, don't you?" Gumball mumbled.

"What?" Anais perked.

"Nothing. Anyway, I'll get started on lunch, you go watch your Dinny the Dinosaur or whatever, alright?"

"DAISY the DONKEY!" Anais stamped, "and no, I won't let you burn the house down or feed me garbage!"

"What makes you think I'd do that?" Gumball asked, slightly hurt by her low expectations.

"You know why!" Anais retorted.

"Whatever, just trust me this one time. I promise you won't be disappointed!"

Anais didn't answer, she instead returned to the bedroom with a huff.

Gumball undeterred, made his way to the fridge to see what there was to throw together. Once he saw the inventory of tortillas, cheese, leftover steak among other ingredients; he decided to make cheese quesadillas. Simple, savory, and sure to please the petite appetite of the pint-sized pain.

Preparation was simple enough; he lined a stovetop skillet with cooking oil, buttered two tortillas, lightly covering the bare side of each with cheese, diced steak, and eventually mushrooms he sauted with garlic on a smaller pan.

Flipped, folded, and finished; the blue cat triumphantly brought the two plates upstairs setting one beside Anais who immediately pulled back the tortilla to inspect the contents.

"Seriously? Just eat it." Gumball grimaced.

"Hmmm…" Anais gave the food a suspicious look before taking a cautious bite. Giving her taste buds time to confirm the food was actually good as opposed to the sensory being the effect of some poison; she wore a look of pleasant surprise as she took larger bites.

'See? Not so bad, is it you little brat?' Gumball thought to himself as he put on some headphones and listened to some music.

"This is pretty good Gumball," Anais complemented, "I'm impressed."

With Anais fed and preoccupied, Gumball sprawled out on his bed and got lost in his impeccable taste in music.

Two hours later saw the two siblings on the couch, watching some overrated cartoon about talking animals living in a town that was surely the wet dream of a heavily-medicated surrealist.

Anais didn't find the show to be particularly funny, it's juvenile humor and lack of continuity left her unsatisfied.

"I'm bored." she whined.

Gumball sighed, "You can change the channel if you want."

"No, I mean, I want to do something other than just loaf around and watch the idiot box." Anais clarified.

"They'll be home soon sis, just stay know as much as I do what happens if we don't stay under the watchful eye of the TV. "

"Can't we take a walk or something?"

"Come on Anais, tonight has been great so far, just veg out a little longer, and when mom and dad get home, you can do whatever."

"Ugh, you're so lazy!" Anais stomped. "Fine, I'll go for a walk myself. See you later Gumba—"

Gumball once again impeded her path. This time, by standing in front of the door, paw firmly clenched around the doorknob.

"Just where do you think you're going? I said stay put. I'm the big brother, now listen to me!"

"Gumball," Anais sighed as if she were lecturing a child, "I'm okay to walk by myself. Just calm down and I'll be back in a few minutes."

"I can't Anais. I'm not letting my four-year-old sister walk around Elmore by herself. Besides, you know rabbits are exclusively prey right? I mean, besides grass and carrots I guess—Quit being difficult."

"I'm being difficult? I want to go for a quick walk, but my big brother is a big lazy butt and won't come with me! Would a little excercise kill ya?"

"Oh my god, you sound like mom." Gumball deadpanned, unamused at the reminder that his sister very much took after their mother in her temper and tedium.

"Fine, I'll go with you."

"That's the spirit!" Anais rejoiced, pulling Gumball into a hug, "Let's go!"

Anais decided the two would do a simple enough trek: their house, to the bus stop. It was a little over a mile, over mostly flat terrain courtesy the sidewalks. It was just past four in the afternoon; the only sound outside was the ambiance of sprinklers, dogs, and the occasional call of birds and bugs.

The cat and his rabbit sister were halfway on their departure. Anais had commanded the lead for a good while, but her little legs proved themselves resistant to this endeavor, and she was now beside Gumball, who kept a steady pace.

With the bus stop in sight, yet still distant, Anais found her heart beating a little louder than normal. She cursed herself internally for being so sedentary today. Before her oblivious brother could suspect, let alone object, Anais had a paw inside his, it's warmth was comforting to her.

The two looked up at the sky, it's usual gradient of dark blue and pink; the sun sinking behind the distant woodlands, shimmering gold. The calm of the sight matched the nonchalant scene around them.

"It's pretty nice out tonight, isn't it?" Anais mused aloud.

"Uh huh." Gumball answered passively, still entangled in the daydreaming he had employed to make this trip slightly less boring.

"Are you even paying attention?" Anais frowned, "What if I get hit by a car, or kidnapped?"

"Don't you mean, kit-napped?" Gumball had a stupid grin for his stupid remark. Anais was not amused.

"That's not funny, Gumball." Anais scolded. "You need to pay more attention, especially when you're responsible for the well-being of your little sister!"

"I thought you were a big girl, you were so ready to do this by yourself," Gumball cooed mockingly, "But wook, wittle Anais wants big bwudder to hold her wittle paw~"

"Knock it off, Gumball!" Anais fumed.

"Okay, okay, calm down, yeesh."

Silence ruled the two as they turned around to return home, having passed the schoolbus sign. It was kind of odd coming here this hour, at least for Gumball. Outside his daydreaming, he could have swore he saw a faint rendition of the bus pulling up; the usual suspects already on board, with the Watterson children welcoming another day of instruction and insanity.

Gumball noticed he was still holding Anais's paw as they walked up the porch of their home and went back inside; their parent's station wagon curbside, indicating their arduous quest for the "perfect" fishbowl had come to an end of some kind. Gumball was beyond curious as to what that ending was.

Opening the front door afforded the sight of Niccole, who looked as if she was just about to open the door herself.

"Where did you two go?" She asked, more curious than annoyed; much to Gumball's surprise and relief.

"We went for an afternoon walk!" Anais triumphantly proclaimed.

"Did you?" Niccole responded, slightly surprised her son went along.

"LOOK AT MY NEW FISHBOWL YOU GUYS!" Darwin exploded from the kitchen. Anais and Gumball made their way into the dining area, and before them was a rather opulent aquarium, complete with decorated marbles for flooring, blue-tinted water, and some faux plants for… the atmosphere.

"Wow Darwin," Anais was taken aback by the grandeur, more out of surprise than awe. "That's… sure something."

"Yeah dude, that's pretty awesome." Gumball remarked casually as he went around the table to get a better view of the new exhibit that would command a portion of his room.

It was weird to think of Darwin, technically Darwin lll, as a pet fish; despite that being what he was. Had nobody known better, the town would likely be aloft with rumors of Niccole and her amphibious bouts of promiscuity.

"How are we supposed to get this thing upstairs though?" No sooner had Gumball wondered aloud, had Richard picked up the giant bowl and began towards the living room.

"Please be careful Richard, that aquarium cost a fortune!" Niccole called after him.

Darwin and Gumball followed carefully behind him, watching with both anticipation, and fear.

Back in the kitchen, Niccole began making supper.

"So, you and Gumball went for a walk? That was nice of him."

"Yeah, it actually was." Anais answered, the warmth of her brother's paw still lingering in her memory.

"He can be a handful sometimes, but he does love you, Anais." Niccole added, "I knew he'd come around to be responsible enough to take care of you… and the house."

Anais returned to her homework while Niccole continued dinner when Anais decided to satisfy a curiosity that had loomed since morning.

"What happened to Darwin's old bowl, anyway?"

"Oh, the boys were roughhousing this morning, and knocked it over."

"That seems a little too simple given who we're talking about." Anais said with doubt.

Indeed it was. Niccole wasn't sure if filling in her daughter on the circumstances leading up to their shopping excursion would put a damper on what seemed to be a pleasant evening. Gumball had in fact, smashed the fishbowl in a fit of anger.

The incident leading up to the destruction began innocently enough; Darwin had bought another laser pointer, this time at the arcade with prize tickets. Having read online that cats are entranced, and rather… playful with lasers, Darwin couldn't resist seeing how Gumball would react.

Sure enough, he had Gumball scampering frantically around the room, making primal hissing and growling sounds. Meowing angrily as he jumped, failed, and faltered off his bed, desk, the walls; all in pursuit of a wildly moving red dot. The greatest test on Darwin's suppression of laughter came when he spun the laser around in a circle. Watching Gumball mindlessly, frantically spin around like a sporadic sprinkler head was almost too much. Growing bored with the game, he then retired the laser. Not before however, the dot had scaled the outside-facing wall of the room. With a hectic leap, Gumball soared for the elusive dot, only to realize too late that it was gone, causing him to fall into his nightstand which also happened to host Darwin's fish bowl.

The bowl was flung off the table, sent into the opposite wall with force, shattering into glimmering shards. A battered and bruised Gumball then turned to see the horrified face of his fish, and the embarrassed face of his mother in the doorway.

Like the sound she heard when her son sent Darwin's first bowl flying, the cringe-inducing sound of glass and water hitting the floor startled Niccole out of her cooking, and nearly causing Anais to defecate herself.

Rushing out to the living room, Niccole saw at the base of the stairs, a giant bowl. The good news was, it didn't seem to be damaged. The bad news, Richard and the contents of the bowl seemed to trade places; with pebbles, marbles, and water all over the foyer, and Richard stuck inside the bowl, defying the laws of both logic, and physics.

"Oh for the love of—Richard, you had one job! One!" Niccole barked as she hurried to clean up the mess, a horrified Darwin coming to her aid.

"Ow… Sorry Darwin." Richard grimaced as he freed himself from the bowl. "I didn't break it, did I?"

"No, but you made a giant mess." Niccole growled. "Gumball, could you go check on dinner for me please?"

"Uh...yeah." Gumball shrugged as he carefully stepped over the stains and debris. His face flush with embarrassment recalling the similar incident from this morning.

Much to Gumball's surprise, Anais was seated in the dining room, seemingly invested in some homework. She wasn't oblivious however, and still had slight tremors from being startled by the commotion in the next room.

"Is everything OK?" Anais asked.

Gumball couldn't help but snicker a little. "Yeah, Dad just spilled Darwin's bowl everywhere." What you got there, sis?"

"I have to write a report for show-and-tell on Monday." Anais answered. "I'm bringing Daisy the Donkey."

Gumball didn't respond, preferring to listen to Niccole lecturing Richard on being reckless, and the sounds of a frantic Darwin as Ms. Mom took the tank upstairs herself.

The bowl was situated on a group of towels placed on the floor beside Gumball's bed. It would have to do considering the nightstand didn't survive Gumball's weight coming down on top of it. Calmed and satisfied it was all in one piece, Darwin hopped inside and settled to the bottom, the intent of relaxing until dinner was ready.

"I'm really, really sorry about the mess, Darwin." Richard apologized nervously.

"It's okay, Mr. Dad." Darwin smiled, "I really appreciate you guys getting this for me!"

"You like it?" Niccole asked, panting a bit from the weight of the thing.

"Yup!" Darwin beamed.

"Good. Well, I have to get dinner going; poor Gumball is down there by himself." With that, Niccole went downstairs while Richard to their bedroom. After a short while, Anais came upstairs, and Gumball entered their room.

"Whoa, check you out!" Gumball teased.

"Pretty snazzy huh?" Darwin danced about.

Seeing that all was okay, Anais continued past her brothers' room towards her own, ears perking to hear the rest of their conversation.

"So, how was it with Anais?"

"It was pretty boring." Gumball answered as he got on the computer, "We watched some TV and took a walk. Nothing too exciting. You guys were gone for awhile."

"Yeah, we couldn't find something that wasn't a box-shape, you know how I am about box aquariums. Anyway, we finally found a store called Pets-N-Pals, and we finally found this one. Took us five hours, but it was worth it!"

"I'll say, you look pretty happy. Sounds more fun than being stuck with her." Gumball chuckled.

Anais felt a pang in her chest hearing those words. She had thought that they had had some pretty nice time together.

"She didn't drive you crazy?" Darwin pressed.

"She tried." Gumball remarked, "You just kind do what she wants so she'll shut up. You should've heard her—she sounded so much like mom: 'You're such a lazy butt...', 'A little exercise won't kill ya!'" Gumball's impersonation of Anias seemed to simply amount to the highest pitch his voice was capable of producing.

"If I wanted to have mom whine at me, I'd show her my English homework."

Hearing this, Anais felt tears threatening to form. She quietly entered her room, and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Dinner time ran its usual course: lasagna, garlic bread, and asparagus were the meal this evening, and none of the kids, Richard included, seemed to mind. Most everyone found themselves tired as well, not too willing to answer the unspoken yet compulsory question of 'how was your day?'. Fortunate for them, Darwin was still full of pep and pleasure from his new digs, and was apt to blather about them for a good while.

"...and I was thinking, we could get some sand, and Gumball and I could build an underwater castle!" Darwin fantasized.

"That sounds very nice, honey." Niccole replied, having faded in and out throughout the fish's babble.

"I'd be down for that." Gumball added, "I didn't have any plans for tomorrow anyway."

"Oh, that reminds me." Niccole began,

"I do have plans tomorrow, don't I?" Gumball glowered.

"I'm afraid so." Niccole continued, "Richard and I are having a date night, and you boys are going to look after Aianis while we're gone."

"What?" Gumball complained, "I had to watch her already tonight, that wasn't fun."

"Anais said you two took a walk together…"

"Yeah, but that was boring. I just wanted to relax and watch some videos online but no!~ Had to do what Anais wanted."

"Gumball!" Niccole scolded, "Part of babysitting means you have to do things she wants to do. It's very rare your father and I get time like this, let alone we ask you to babysit. Besides, you'll have Darwin."

"I'm not doing it." Gumball crossed his arms, a look of unwitting defiance on his face.

Niccole proceeded to take Gumball's half-eaten lasagna.

"Then I suppose you won't be eating, and going to your room instead. There's no excuse for talking about your sister that way."

With a grunt, Gumball stormed out of the kitchen and stomped up the stairs.

"What was that all about?" Darwin asked. All of them directing their attention towards Anais who now looked sullen and hurt.

"Sweetie, I'm sure he's just in a bad mood…" Niccole attempted to console her.

Anais however, got off her high chair, and sulked towards her room without a word.

Both of her children were being uncharacteristic it seemed. Gumball was grumpy and verbally cutting, and Anais seemed to lack her usual spunk; comments like that would have gotten a smart and sassy retort on a regular day. Darwin seemed happy at least. With a sigh, Niccole finished her dinner, the cleanup-with Darwin's help, and then trudged upstairs to sort out this mess.

Her first destination was Anais's room. The kit sat on her bed, sniffling and sad.

"Do you knock?" Anais growled.

"Sorry dear, it just isn't like you to get so down when the boys' get your goat like that. I just wanted to make sure you're alright."

"He's such an airhead!" Anais pouted, "Everything was going great until he opened his stupid mouth!" Those last words had a tremor to them, the wound still fresh it seemed.

"Like I said earlier… something must be bothering him. You both seemed fine when I got home. Did he act odd during your walk?"

"He didn't seem to interested or involved; but I didn't think he was mad or anything."

"You weren't by chance difficult in any way, were you?" Niccole asked, a sly smile on her face. She knew as much as anyone what a turkey Anais could be at times.

"Well... " Anais grew somewhat embarrassed remembering that word, Difficult. Gumball had described her as such when she was throwing a fit about going on the walk.

"He was being lazy!" Anais defended, "All he wanted to do was sit around and play on the computer!"

Niccole chuckled to herself. "Sweetheart, Gumball is the older brother. I know he can be frustrating, but you're still little, you have to respect what he wants to do… or I suppose doesn't want to do in this case. I can have a chat with him about his laziness, but regardless, you need to respect and listen to him as you would me."

"Okay." Anais hung her head. "I understand."

With a kiss on her daughter's forehead, Niccole then headed to her next child. Gumball was on his bed. Headphones on, face wearing a pout and turned to the wall.

"Gumball…" Niccole greeted her son who jumped slightly at the sudden contact.

After some time taking his headphones off, and setting them to the side, he looked at his mother who now sat beside him.

"This is about Anais, isn't it?" Gumball said with enough enthusiasm to trigger clinical depression.

"Somewhat yes, somewhat no." Niccole began, "Is something bothering you? It isn't like you to be so...cold."

Gumball took some time to think about this. His week had been pretty forgettable, the fishbowl incident earlier today hadn't helped things; and Anais and he were about as compatible as a frightened rabbit and a starving lion.

"She just gets on my nerves," Gumball muttered, "She's got a complex you know? Anais thinks she's better than me because she's book smart or something. I can't possibly be taken seriously as long as she thinks I'm a total idiot."

"Have you done anything to maybe disprove her attitude towards you?" Niccole asked, somewhat comforted that her eldest seemed to be talking to her instead of at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what about your behavior might give off the idea that you're… not the brightest bulb in the box?"

"Because she's snotty and never punished for her sassy remarks?"

Niccole wasn't about to say it out loud, but that certainly was part of it.

"What I mean is, what do you do that might give her—anyone the impression you aren't who you know you are?"

Unlike his father, Gumball wasn't so much stupid, as he was… short-sighted, distracted, easily excited and enamored in the impossible and irresponsible; one to seek thrill before thought, acting on hormones, and swimming in ego.

In other words, he was an adolescent.

"My...grades?" Gumball guessed.

There was also the issue of school. While Darwin and Anais managed to do well, or in the later, surpass expectations and gain academic prodigy status, Gumball couldn't care less about his academic pursuits. The homework, the 'Lord of the Flies' social scene, the faculty, the monotony of it all; it was boring as hell, and just an obstacle to 'living life to the fullest'.

"That's part of it." Niccole encouraged a better response she knew he was capable of. "Outside of school."

"What's wrong with being silly and having fun?" Gumball immediately went for defense.

"There's a line between reckless fun, and… destruction of person, property, and your mother's sanity." Niccole answered half-jokingly, "Believe it or not, Anais looks up to you, it's natural, you're her big brother. What she sees is someone who is careless, lazy, and at times destructive and disrespectful. We can all have a little fun sometimes, but you need to try and keep a level head sometimes."

"So...I need to stop being me?"

"Gummy-puss, that's not what I'm saying. What I am saying is that you need to grow up a little. You're twelve now, you need to set a better example for your sister and yourself. I love your father dearly, and he has his moments; but I don't expect him to change. You however, can, and will. You're a sweet, smart, and handsome little tom, and I know you'll figure it out."

Gumball found himself more than embarrassed by both the comment, and the tussling of his fur.

"I think I get it." Gumball answered, "When are you and dad going out tomorrow?"

"Sometime around six I think. We're thinking maybe a movie before dinner. So you'll have most the afternoon tomorrow to help Darwin decorate his new bowl.."

Niccole got up and headed out the door to her own room. She could hear the TV downstairs, as well as Richard's snoring. She said goodnight to Darwin as they passed each other in the hall, and wanted nothing more than a good night's sleep. Tomorrow was Monday, and that meant it was back to her nine-to-five; back to another week of same-old, same-old.

Or at least she hoped.


	2. The Sister

Just as abruptly as Friday had tripped into Saturday, Monday hit the Watterson family like a ton of bricks. 6:30 was the time at which Gumball's alarm clock let off it's horrible sound. As much as Gumball wished to simply lay waste to it with his bare paws, he could not. Accepting this reality, he turned off the alarm, and went about his morning routine just as everyone else did.

While it was 45° en route to the bus stop, it was projected to be in the mid-70s by the end of the school day. The only saving grace, was the fact that Elmore enjoyed rather low humidity, with no clouds or precipitation forecast.

Ms. Simian's class wore of its usual rote as well. The senile baboon didn't let a case of the Mondays get in the way of tormenting her students. Especially Gumball. A pop spelling quiz in the morning, with back-to-back book reports due by Friday.

"...and remember Watterson," Ms. Simian always said his surname as if it were indicative of some grotesque looking freak of nature; an air or repulsion mixed her minced words,

"I expect nothing short of failure from you! Don't even try to put any effort into it, you've all but guaranteed you will be repeating the seventh grade!" The baboon cackled.

"I haven't had a student held back since the 70s! Anyone want to guess their last name?" She was really enjoying this. "Wa-tter-son!" Simian answered with a mocking emphasis on each syllable.

As the class shared a laugh with the old hag, Gumball kept his gaze to the desk. This shtick was getting old, like the ape that thought it could never lose steam.

Gumball thought about his mother's talk last night. The idea of raising his head, and proclaiming that he would put out the greatest book reports that school had ever seen indeed crossed his mind; but it was Monday, his mood was sour, and the bitter taste in his mouth wasn't much better.

Outside of incorporating mouthwash to his morning regimen, the only thing that could make that bitter taste go away, was lunch which fortunate for him, was now imminent. As he and his peers filtered out of the classroom, and fanned into the hallways, Gumball's stomach began its usual tirade of rumbling and growling. Food on his mind, he made his way to his locker to fetch his meal ticket.

"You're not gonna do those reports, are you Gumball?" Darwin asked.

"Dude, of course not." Gumball seemed almost proud of his defiance. "You heard Ms. Simian. No point doing any of it anyway."

"You think Misses Mom is going to take that?" Darwin worried, concerned about the certain beration Gumball was to receive later that day. "You gotta at least try, Gumball!"

"I appreciate your concern buddy, really. But I got better things to do…"

Gumball's sensitive kitty ears suddenly focused on some commotion down an adjacent corridor. While he certainly couldn't discern words, nor their speakers, something about one of the voices sent a chill down his spine. Gumball made his way down the hall to investigate.

Anais was headed to show-and-tell, and had retrieved Daisy the Donkey who she had kept in her locker. Before she could blink however, it was snatched from her, and was now bait in a game of keep away, featuring Banana Joe, Tobias, and Anais. The latter was losing.

"Give her back!" Anais shouted with strained futility as the attempted to reclaim her cherished doll.

"Gotta get it it first, cottontail!" Banana Joe teased as the doll continued to volley from him to Tobias. Their joy in seeing the little bunny struggle seemed to show no end.

This back and forth has been going on for some time, and Anais was starting to hear the call of nature. She had done her best to put it on hold while she struggled to reclaim her toy, certain that heeding the call would result in Daisy being lost forever. Bouts of leaping and charging at her foes now were coupled with a stance that broadcast her increasing need to relieve herself. This only added to the juvenile revealing of her tormentors.

"Wittle Anais needs to go potty!" Tobias sneered.

"I do not! Give me Daisy!" Anais was on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry T, she's probably got diaper." Banana Joe smirked, "Wouldn't want baby to make a mess!"

"Stop it!" Anais found herself tired and strained, her bladder coming dangerously close to defying her orders to hold off. She had to act: let Daisy be held hostage by these goons, or risk immense humiliation in front of a gathering of students who while capable, seemed in no way interested in helping her.

Her next leap found her face-planted onto the floor, She lie there for some time, horror about her face as she felt an unstoppable damp warmth about her.

"Gross!" Banana Joe cackled, "Baby Anais peed her pants!"

Anais let her walls come down. Having sobbing as the only thing she could do, she did.

The roar of laughter mixed with her crying was cut short as Tobias was knocked to the ground. Seemingly out of nowhere. When he turned to see the culprit, he was met with Gumball, eyes yellow, pupils dilated, teeth and fists clenched.

"Give it back!" Gumball roared. "Right now!"

Tobias seemed unphased by the livid cat.

"Pssh, and what are you gonna do about it… Gummy-puss!" Tobias shrieked as the bystanding students joined in laughter. This didn't last long however, as Gumball sailed his right fist into the humanoid face with intensity. Followed by several more stikes.

"Hey! Get off him!" Banana Joe cried as he charged Gumball, who turned and craned his neck enough to catch Banana Joe by the mouth, sinking his teeth into his head, making a growling sound of a vicious house cat. Letting out a horrific scream, the defiant fruit was let go and ran down the hall sobbing.

Despite the beating, Tobias had not let go of Daisy the Donkey; with Gumball and Tobias now struggling on their feet, tugging at the doll. This dance ended with Tobias pinned against a locker. He winced as he felt Gumballs claws emerge and dig into his arms. He could see Gumball's fur stand up, that primal look in his eyes seemed to show he wasn't going to let up until his demands were met. Another impact into his face, this time directly on his mouth, sent a couple teeth onto the floor. With this, the doll was released from his grip and fell before Anais, in her puddle of urine.

"You mess with my sister ever again, I will end you. You understand me!" Gumball's voice boomed with the ferocity that could only have come from his mother. Darwin and Anais found themselves as unsettled as everyone else; having never heard their brother this way.

"Gumball, stop!" She pleaded as she rushed to his side. "Let go of him, you're going to get in trouble!"

"Watterson!"

Sure enough, it was Principal Brown, backed by Rocky and Mrs Simian. All sharing looks of disgust and rage at the sight before them.

"Oh boy, you reeeally screwed up now, Watterson!" Simian said with a tinge of glee knowing what was coming for her favorite student.

* * *

Anais and Darwin entered the principal's office shortly after a trip to the nurse's office for Anais to be cleaned. Gumball sat arms crossed in a chair just before Brown's desk. It had been clear the two had had a talk prior to their arrival. Certainly involving a phone call to their parents. There wasn't a doubt in the world that Niccole was en route.

"Your mother should be here shortly," Brown announced to the two as he adjusted his glasses. "Banana Joe and Tobias have be punished as well, we do not tolerate bullying of any kind."

"Then why am I getting two-weeks suspension?" Gumball muttered.

"Because you seriously injured a student and traumatised another, Watterson." Brown sighed. "I thought I had asked you to be quiet."

"You know what?" Gumball got up from his chair, staring directly at the principal. "No! Those two freaks bullied and humiliated my sister! What was I supposed to do, just stand there?"

Before Brown could respond, the door burst open. Niccole dragging Richard in with her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Watterson." Brown greeted them as they took seats in front of his desk. "I believe your son was getting ready to explain to me why he should not be reprimanded for assaulting two of our students." Noticing Gumball was mortified at the glare his mother and father both cast his way, he continued. "Two weeks suspension is in order for an offence of this magnitude. We do not tolerate fighting in this school, no matter what the cause."

"What about Anais?" Niccole asked as if this were an interrogation.

"The two students responsible have also been given two weeks suspension. The nurse was kind enough to wash her clothes and provide her with… protective undergarments to prevent any future accidents."

"My daughter did not wet herself." Niccole growled between clenched teeth, "She was held against her will. You added to her humiliation and gave her a diaper?" Niccole looked to Anais who kept her gaze fixed to the floor.

"Anais shouldn't have been bullied in the first place!" Niccole continued, "If this happens again I will bring my concerns to the Superintendent!"

"Yes ma'm, I understand." Brown responded in his usual relaxed manner. "Now about your son…"

"I will deal with him when we get home." Niccole shot a look of disgust towards her eldest child who flinched at those words.

"I don't just mean the fight today Mrs. Watterson," Brown continued, "He is at risk of retention at this point of the school year. I'm sure you are aware of that."

Niccole knew very well of Gumball's academic delinquency, practically everyone did; but the idea of _retention_ was synonymous with "failure". She began to wonder if that chat she had with her son last night really was with Gumball, as opposed to a figment of her imagination. Today had in one fell swoop, snatched all the optimism and progress from yesterday; with no intention of giving it back.

"Is there anything he can do?" Niccole assumed the worst, but didn't want to seem like she didn't care. She did.

"We're well into the second trimester," Brown said, "Unless he were to score perfect on every test, turn in every assignment, and knock trimester finals out the of the park, I don't see him avoiding the inevitable. I feel at this point, Summer School should be an option to consider."

"What the what?" Gumball shivered at the idea, "Summer school?!"

"Not another word, Gumball!" Niccole hissed, causing him to recoil in fear.

Brown always found himself amused at seeing the Watterson children so intimidated by their mother. "Perhaps if you had spent your time following your siblings example as opposed to causing us grief, this wouldn't be happening, Watterson. I'm afraid you have only yourself to blame for this one." He paused to look at Anais, than the parents, followed by a fidgeting Darwin, and a stoic Gumball who looked daggers at him.

"I believe that's all for now, Anais, Darwin, we will see you tomorrow. Gumball… see you in two weeks time."

Without a word, the Watterson family filed out of the office, and into their car. For a moment, Niccole simply turned the ignition, the car idling. She turned to face Gumball who sat in the middle of Darwin and Anais.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Niccole didn't bother checking her tone now, clearly fuming, "What did we talk about last night, about setting a good example for your sister!"

Gumball was a afraid, trembling as he spoke, but he was also upset, "Why am I in trouble for sticking up for Anais? I can't believe you're mad at me for—"

"Had that been the only thing you did today, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Niccole growled, "I don't think anyone outside those bullies thinks you were wrong in avenging Anais; but that's not what pisses me off, Gumball Tristopher. Retention? Do you realize what that means? Your father wasn't even held back once in school! Your father! You literally have to put an effort into flunking like this!"

Gumball felt shame in what he knew was true, he was a professional slacker; world-class procrastinator of the finest degree; a cat who had managed to hone down and master the science of evading schoolwork in the more ways than should be possible. Now it was clear he couldn't hide behind the fight either; for that he was justified. For this however, he was in for some trouble.

"So, I guess I'm grounded?" Gumball wished he could've bit his tongue before that slipped.

Niccole gripped the steering wheel tightly, taking a deep breath before backing the car out of its park, and starting towards home.

"If I were you Gumball, I wouldn't say anything right now."

Gumball had no problem with this, and kept his eyes to his feet, legs almost long enough to bring them to the floor. A few minutes into his sulking, he felt two little arms around his side. He glanced over to see that Anais had snuggled up to him, and was giving a look that couldn't be mistaken as anything but concern. He put his arm around her, and stroked between her ears with his paw; something he had seen Niccole do on occasion.

Darwin stayed focused with the passing view outside the car window. He wasn't sure what to make of things. Between seeing Gumball viciously attack someone, to the seemingly abrupt affection Anais was showing to her brother; to the fact that Niccole somehow managed not to go primal herself and tear Gumball a new one. These thoughts were more than enough to keep the fish occupied until they were home.


	3. The Question

Gumball's day hadn't gone all that well to say the very least of things. Like everyone else, he saw the serenity of the night before shredded before his eyes. That being said, it wasn't as if it had been a total drain. Anais's budding affinity for him seemed to be in good standing, Darwin didn't have a dog in the race, thus ruling him out for any 'I told ya so' lectures; Richard's attention span didn't allow for much investment on his part, and perhaps the best of all, Niccole had to hurry back to work. It was only thirty minutes past one in the afternoon.

"Richard," Niccole instructed her husband, "I don't want Gumball watching TV, on the computer, or playing video games, understand? He is grounded. I expect my decision to be respected."

"Yes ma'm!" Richard said with a salute.

"I mean it, Richard." Niccole added, "Our son needs to learn his actions have consequences. He can't turn into some loser who joins a fight club or becomes a hobo. Please, no fun allowed."

"TURN OFF THE TV ANAIS!" Richard panicked, snatching the remote and putting his giant paw in front of her face.

"Gumball, Richard!" Niccole facepalmed, "Anais and Darwin are fine."

"Oh… oops." Richard timidly returned the remote to Anais, who snatched it like a venus fly trap.

Speaking of which, Niccole then walked over to Anais and kneeled down to eye level.

"Mommy will be back later okay sweetie?" Niccole kissed the little kit on the forehead. Anais seemed fine all things considered, though Niccole knew the humiliation and fear from today wasn't going to subside anytime soon.

"Mom?" Anais asked as Niccole stood back up and made her way behind the couch to the door.

"Yes, dear?" Niccole called back.

"Is it okay if I talk to Gumball later?"

"Uh… sure. Just remember what I told your father, okay?" With that, the blue cat was out the door. Soon, the sound of her car starting and leaving followed.

The kitty in question lie on his bed, facing the wall once again. While he was happy that his mother seemed too much in a hurry to inflict too much rage upon him, he knew it was only a delay in being chewed out. Waiting six hours for the inevitable was not something that made his mind any less cloudy.

Mixed with his anticipation of Niccole's wrath, were feelings of guilt. Thinking back to his confrontation with Joe and Tobias; he made a mental checklist of how he could have handled things better. Interleaved with the dread and regret, was general-purpose angst. Regardless of what his mother had told him; he felt that any punishment was too much. She had seen his grades throughout the year, and not once did she come down on him like he knew she would when she came home from work. Why now was it suddenly a huge deal?

Gumball let out a sigh as he looked out the window. The tops of a house across the street, some trees, and rolling hills in the distance did little to bring about happy thoughts. His attention focused on the bedroom door as Anais tepidly entered, closing it behind her.

Unsure of what to say, both were silent as Anais crawled onto his bed and scooted beside him fidgeting with her paws as she thought of what to say. To her relief, Gumball got a head start.

"You alright, sis?" Gumball asked. Seemed an appropriate enough question.

"I suppose." Anais sighed, "I still have a tremendous migraine though. How about you? Mom seemed pretty angry with you."

"Don't worry about it, sis." Gumball said reassuringly, "Mom just wants you to have a better role-model—and I guess it's supposed to be me."

"Are you sure? I could try talking to mom. You know how reasoning with her goes though."

Gumball had to admit, his sister could be pretty adorable sometimes. Such a big brain for a little bunny.

"It's okay, Anais." Gumball laughed, "Part of growing up is learning to own up to your mistakes, and face whatever consequences come your way."

"You only now realize this?"

"What can I say, I'm fashionably late to the 'growing up party'."

"Ya think?" Anais grimaced jokingly, "Wanna take another walk with me?"

"Sure, but not too late. I already got enough trouble for mom to dish out."

"I know, I know," Anais said as she hopped off his bed.

"Can I come?" Darwin poked his head from the blue-tinted water of his bowl.

"Um…" Anais felt somewhat embarrassed, with both her and Gumball sharing an awkward glance to the other, "I was kind of wanting to just go with my brother—I mean, my…our..."

"No worries." Darwin waved a dismissive fin, "I think Dad is ordering pizza anyway."

"Typical dad…" Anais shook her head, "Why don't you make us dinner, Gumball?"

"Yeah dude!" Darwin agreed, "You're actually pretty good at it."

"Aww, thanks you guys." It was Gumball's turn to grow hot with embarrassment. "Knowing Dad though, he probably already placed the order so… pizza sounds fine. Ready to go, Anais?"

"Let me go check on something real quick." Anais said as she hurried to her room.

Gumball noticed Darwin wasn't too pleased he was spending a little more time with Anais this usual.

"It's not that we don't want you or anything, Anais just seems to want to hang out with me, and mom kinda wants me to; something about setting an example and all that. You understand, right buddy?"

"I guess." Darwin pouted. "You said we were gonna help decorate my bowl tomorrow, are you? Or do you have plans with Anais tomorrow, too?"

"Dude seriously? She's my sis...ter..." the last syllable trailed as Gumball realized what he just said.

" _Your_ sister? _Her_ brother?" Darwin's voice seemed elevated, "What is it with you two? Ever since last night you guys have been all 'close', keeping me out of _everything_!"

"Come on man, you know that's not how it is; we're just spending some brother-sister time together."

Darwin seemed to give that some thought, relaxing somewhat, but still skeptical.

"You promise we'll hang out tomorrow?"

"I promise. Just us."

"Oh alright."

With that, Darwin sunk back down to the bottom of his bowl as Gumball went downstairs to wait for Anais.

The sound of Richard's snoring and the ambiance of the television were enough of an indicator that Anais hadn't made her way downstairs, as she was certain to sternly remind her father to not screw up the pizza reception. Like the other kids, she was hungry, and the last thing they wanted, was to come back to an empty pizza box, or no pizza at all.

Gumball decided to plop down on the couch and channel surf while he waited. Outside of a brisk catch of a local weather report forecasting more dry pleasant heat for Elmore for the next work week; the frantic cycling of channels didn't yield anything of interest. Fortunately, Anais made her presence known before he could go too far into the triple-digit stations.

"Dad!" Anais hollered causing the portly rabbit to startle awake.

"What happened?" Richard panicked.

"Nothing, dad." Anais said, "Remember to get the pizza!"

"Aye yai yai, 'Make sure Gumball stays grounded, Richard', 'Don't forget the pizza, dad', can't a man get some downtime every now and then?"

"You do… every day." Anais frowned. "Anyway, Gumball and I are going for a walk."

"Wait a minute!" Richard inquired with suspicion, "Did Niccole say he could go for walks?"

"Dad, it's just me and Anais." Gumball replied, "Outside… In nature...no video games."

"Oh, all righty then. But if mom gets mad, it's your fault!" Richard insisted.

"Mom's will be fine." Anais assured him as the two made their way out the door. "But I wont be if you forget the pizza!"

Anais couldn't help but let a exhale of worry slip as she closed the door. Some way or another, she was certain Richard was going to somehow mess things up. As she approached the sidewalk though, he spirits returned as she brushed her doubts aside for the moment.

Gumball was patiently waiting halfway past the Robinson's property line. He had gotten a head start, and hadn't bothered to see Anais's delayed start. Once Anais was by his side, the two joined paws and embarked on their familiar path.

"You worried he'll blow it?" Gumball asked as they made their first cross.

"Nah. Worst case scenario, I guess we wait until mom's home." Anais shrugged, "We didn't have lunch though, I'm really hungry."

"Right there with ya, kid." Gumball waited a moment to start his next question, if only to ensure he had the words in the order he wanted.

"You holding up alright?" He hoped he wouldn't need to apply context.

"Sorta." Anais answered, albeit somewhat sheepishly, "I just worry that everyone will make fun of me tomorrow. A lot of people saw it…" Anais now hung her head some, only to have Gumball's free paw under her chin nudging it enough so they faced each other.

"They will." Gumball said with a straight face. "They'll make jokes, call you names; they'll never live you down for it, But you know what? You don't care."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you don't let their words get the best of you. Don't even try to respond or fight back. They'll find someone else to pick on eventually."

"But, what if Banana Joe or Tobais keep bullying me?" Concern crept up in the little bunny's voice.

"Tell me." Gumball replied flatly. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that anymore though. If they don't make sure of it, I will."

"Gumball, you promised mom—"

"Doesn't matter what mom says. Anyone wants to mess with you, they have to go through me first. ...and mom. They make it to her, they'll regret it."

The two shared a laugh at this. Their mother's temper could be downright terrifying at times, but they knew if the rubber met the road, she would have their backs no problem.

Lost in their own thoughts once again, the cat and the kit wordlessly continued past the homes which sat against the sky whose colors bore the glow of the setting sun. Lights could be seen in some of the residences, most likely centered on the dining areas and living rooms. Some were less ambiguous; the varying color and glow of television sets very clear through the windows.

One of the many benefits of suburbia: The quiet and the calm of the evening was as predictable as it was welcome. Anais and Gumball took no issue making it the soundtrack and the scene for their stroll, but words sat upon the tips of tongues; yearning to be free of the minds which birthed them.

"You ever talk to Carrie, Anais?" Gumball asked casually.

"The emo ghost girl?

Gumball couldn't restrain a snort, "Yeah, the 'emo ghost girl'."

"Not really." Anais answered honestly, curiosity as to why Gumball brought her up taking priority.

"She was telling me about this thing called 'The Void'. You ever heard of it?"

"That conspiracy theory about a dimension where all the world's flukes and obsolescence are erased from reality?"

"Yeah. That."

"You know that's not real, right?" Anais questioned.

"How do you know for sure?" Gumball inquired.

Anais wasn't a fan of dwelling in what she considered 'nonsense', but the Void was a subject she had come across several times.

"Well, I don't know, but I know I've never seen it myself. There is no documentation of it being existent; just tinfoil hats on talk radio and tabloids."

"I dunno," Gumball scratched his head, "If it was real, it would be cool to see."

"I'll agree with you there, Gumball." Anais smiled, "It would certainly be awesome, maybe. Why bring it up though?"

"What do you mean?"

Anais couldn't help but stifle a laugh at seeing that question come full-circle.

"Of all the things to talk about, that seems random. Carrie on your mind?"

Gumball's face went practically pale as the subject matter. "What the what? No! No, no, no…"

A sly grin crept on Anais's face. "How does Penny feel about you feeling things for a ghost? You mad about Darwin kissing her first?"

"I never said I liked her or anything! It was just an interesting conversation, that's all."

"You wouldn't have mentioned her if she wasn't on your mind you know?"

"What would you know? Gah, whatever." Gumball groaned, glad to see the bus stop sign. "Will you look at that, we're already here—time to talk about something else! Uh...hm..."

"You get those book reports done?"

"Well I—Wait, seriously? This is your idea of changing the subject?"

"Yup!"

Gumball groaned. "First of all, no _mom_ , I didn't. Second, how do you even know about that?"

"I heard her talking about it on the phone with someone."

Gumball's face turned to one of worry.

"Oh, great. Just great. who?"

"I don't know."

"She's serious about this summer school thing, isn't she?" Gumball looked to his little sister as if it was on her to provide some sort of solstice, or better, a way out. No such luck.

"Well Gumball, you heard Principal Brown… at the rate you're going, you'll get held back. Actually, at the rate you're going, we might have class together someday."

"Ha ha, very funny Anais." Gumball grumbled as he let go of her paw.

"Gumball!" Anais suddenly panicked as she scrambled to hold his hand again.

Gumball was taken aback slightly. Seeing his sister be so clingy was really out of character.

"You're… You're not scared someone's gonna come up and bully you, are you?"

Anais didn't answer with words. Though, her burning cheeks and evasion of eye contact did all that needed to be done.

Gumball got a tingly feeling about him, and picked up his sister. Holding her like one would carry a small child. Despite seeming unwelcoming to this affection, she wrapped her arms around him.

"Aw Anais, you're too funny." Gumball laughed.

"This isn't funny Gumball!" Anais pouted, "You need to—"

"Pay attention, I know." Gumball interrupted as he shooshed her as if she were a tempered infant.

As they neared the house, both Gumball and Anais caught a whiff of something.

"Smell that?" Gumball smiled looking at his sister.

"Well, he actually did it this time." Anais smiled as she got down from her brother's arms. "Pizza!"

Gumball was more than happy to discard his sentimental mood and scamper into the house along with his sister like a rabid critter. Their glorious pizza awaited.

 **AN:** Sorry it's another short one. Been busy with IRL stuff. Anyway, let me know what you think so far! :)

Next chapter very, very soon.


	4. The Answer

There was no alarm clock to wake Gumball Tuesday morning. He shot awake from a dreamless sleep courtesy of cold water being splashed on his face. Groggy and bewildered, he opened his eyes to see who had dared wake him from his pleasant sleep.

His eyes shot open as he saw who stood at his bedside. Her eyes were yellow, pupils slit as his were yesterday morning. She had a enigmatic grin on her face as for a moment, she watched her son's face grow cold as he realized what was happening.

Mom was staying home today.

"Good morning, my little Gummy-puss." Niccole cooed, that grin not subsiding for a moment.

Before Gumball could register a response, he was yanked from his bed; now being taken through the hall at near light speed. Within moments, he let out a squeal as another surge of frigid water struck him, this time from the shower head. Shampoo, soap, and a brush were the next attackers; the rapid sudsing, furious scrubbing, and involuntary movement to aid in the former terrified Gumball as, just as quickly as that scene had entered and unfolded, he was pinned to the bathroom floor; Niccole sitting on his stomach, toothbrush and toothpaste in hand. Like the ice-cold shower, the toothbrush was forcefully scraping his teeth and gums at speeds that shouldn't be possible. Then came floss sliding through his teeth like a rocket, with mouthwash pouring in just as quickly. What seemed like nanoseconds later, he was held over the sink, shook side to side, his inflated cheeks squished as the torrent of mouthwash, mixed with some blood it seemed, came gushing out of his mouth.

It felt as if ten seconds had barely lapsed before Gumball was somehow dressed in the blink of an eye, and now was now seated (and buckled), in Niccole's car. Before he could muster any kind of sound from his mind, to his mouth, they were blazing down the streets towards central Elmore at immoral speeds Gumball had grown accustomed to by now. The warbly sounds of quickly approaching and fading traffic, horns, and scrambling pedestrians, did little to calm the intense pounding of his heart.

This pounding persisted as they rushed through the supermarket, the cart filling with numerous items: lined paper, pencils, erasers, ballpoint pens, a graphing calculator; Gumball realized what was happening, and as he now sat at the kitchen table, not five minutes past his rude awakening; his stomach finally had some time to twist itself into a knot, his face planted into his food. Within the space of five minutes he felt like he had been hit by a truck, tossed about by a F5 tornado, and struck by lightning. He honestly would've preferred that to what he feared was next.

"Mr Brown, and Ms. Simian gave me a binder of missing assignments yesterday." Niccole began as she calmly ate her breakfast. The rush and insanity of the morning lost on her it seemed.

Gumball finally caught his breath, his heartbeat regulated, and the ringing in his ears slightly quieter than it was moments before; he was still panting, drenched in cold sweat.

"You will have all of this work completed by the end of this week." Niccole continued. "No son of mine is going to grow up a loser."

Much to Gumball's surprise, the night following his walk with Anais was, outside of some small talk, uneventful. Niccole seemed almost unwilling to wreak havoc on Gumball's peaceful evening. The reasons why were something the little blue cat didn't bother to think about as he timidly ate his food, a good portion of which he had to wipe from his face first.

After taking his plate and washing it, he returned to the table and saw his mother, still sitting across from him. Arms crossed, eyes dead on him. Immediately before him, was the binder in question, opened to the first page. On it, a blend of typed and handwritten assignment names, subjects, and notes. There was quite a bit: a month's-worth of worksheets alone; five reports ranging from book assignments, to writing exercises; a portional photocopy of his math book, as well as some test sheets for good measure. He could tell by the craft and composure, that Brown and Simian had a gay old time throwing this together.

To the side of his binder of torment were a cache of pre-sharpened pencils, a neat stack of pristine line paper, a fleet of erases; and to the opposite side, the calculator, and a dictionary/thesaurus. Turning his head once again to grab a pencil, he nearly fell out of his chair as Niccole was now sitting next to him. The same stern, cold look on her face.

"Enough sitting around, Gumball. Time to get to work."

* * *

Anais had had a rough start to her day. The dread of facing her seniors after her humiliation the day before wasn't something she was looking forward to in the least. The only positive had been that mom had dropped her off, and personally taken her doll to her class where Anais was to make up her show-and-tell presentation. Darwin had stuck by her from their arrival, but that promptly ended when class began; leaving Anais to take in the sights and sounds of the cruelty of children: she could hear the whispering of insults and jokes at her expense, she could help see the looks of anything but sympathy on the faces of her peers. She had amassed a decent amount of nicknames: "Urinese", "Baby Anais", "Potty Mouth", "Anais Wet-herself soon", among many other tasteless titles, all showing a total lack of creativity on the part of those who coined them.

As she kept her focus on her schoolwork, she kept her mind on the words of her mother and brother: there would be slurs, teasing, and torment, but the best she could do was simply turn the other cheek; look the other way, and let it all blow over. Worse had happened to students of Elmore Jr. High, and given Gumball's wrath, and Niccole's reputation, it was unlikely the audience of yesterday's incident wouldn't be getting an encore performance any time soon.

With this in mind, Anais made her way towards the lunchroom, five-dollar bill in hand. Walking into the service room, she slid her tray down the line as Rocky filled each student's tray with whatever assorted food was prepared that day. In this case, it was burritos. With her lunch in hand, Anais then made her way to her usual table, of which she sat at by herself. It didn't help that she was socially immature, or that Gumball and Darwin had a later lunch than she did. Anais had requested she be placed in Ms Simian's class, under the guise that it would be socially beneficial for her, and academically beneficial to her brothers. Her repeated requests were denied. Insisting the in-school kindergarden was sufficient for her given her age.

While the lunch was decent, the rabbit had to eat quickly as she wanted to to take a trip to the school library. Gumball had piqued her curiosity into the concept of the Void, and she was intent on hitting the books to see what she could find. Part of her wished that Gumball were there; even by herself in the corner of the lunchroom she felt vulnerable and alone.

It wasn't long after she finished her food, that she made a beeline to the library, not bothering to look or listen to anyone who commanded her attention.

The library was awfully quiet this time of the day it seemed, just how Anais liked it.

"I wonder where I would look for books on that subject…" Anais thought aloud as she scoured the many bookshelves, "I suppose it would be under quantum mechanics…"

"Need some help?" Came a voice that shocked the poor rabbit. She turned to see an unlikely face.

"You must be Carrie, right?" Anais questioned,

"The one and only." Carrie answered in her usual dry demeanor.

Anais considered bringing up the conversation she had with Gumball last night, but knew how sensitive he was about the subject of 'girls', and that he would more than likely be unhappy if his sister let their chat be the source of a rumor that he had a crush on the ghost girl.

"I'm trying to find a book on the Void." Anais explained as the two made their way towards the Science section, "I've heard you're knowledgeable in the subject—"

"Yeah, your brother and I were talking about it last week." Carrie interjected, "There aren't to many books on it; people seem to think it's made up."

"Because it is!" Anais asserted.

Carrie let out a sigh, "Most 'smart people' say that. Just because you can't see it our measure it, doesn't mean it isn't real you know; we ghosts know of the Void; even we aren't immune to its effects."

"What..effects?" Anais was more skeptical than curious.

"Follow me." Carrie began floating to a certain book nearby.

Anais wondered for a moment what she was getting herself into, but followed anyway. It beat dealing with anyone else for awhile.

Carrie pulled a book from the shelf entitled, " _Regarding the cause and consequence of the Void"_. it's sepia-colored pages, and the smell of dust and the passage of time were pungent.

"This is one of the most popular books about the Void." Carrie began as the two found a table to sit at. "The author of the book managed to make it out of the Void with his memories intact. Men had tried using tinfoil hats to prevent the Void from erasing their mem—"

"Wait a minute," Anais wore a look of disbelief. "Tinfoil hats? Really?"

"I know it sounds dumb, but, just go with it alright?" Carrie sighed, never a fan of being interrupted. "Now, as I was saying, he made it out with his memories intact, and wrote this book in secret. The Void found out, and he disappeared."

"Let me guess, into the Void?" Anais entered the name of the book into a search engine and began to read excerpts from an article she found:

"...the book was found in the attic of an old man who lived a few blocks away from...near where we live, actually... His son goes by the stage name of "Bad Max", a writer and radio host who does a weekly show on the Void and other paranormal topics called "Shore to Shore FM".

"Yeah. I've met him at parties before, he's pretty chill."

"...Seriously?" Anais pinched her nose in frustration, still debating on whether or not going down this rabbit hole was a bright idea.

* * *

Four hours had passed since Gumball was torn from his sleep, and thrust into a brave new world of a stay-at-home mom hellbent on putting him through the wringer, designed with love and care by the worst teacher in the world. The only noises he heard, outside of the occasional lawnmower or bird squabbling outside, was the sound of graphite scratching on paper, the tapping of bored paws, and the occasional order from Niccole; seeing any kind of idling or disinterest as unacceptable procrastination, and further proof that this punishment was justified.

Gumball had decided that he would take the path of least resistance: the worksheets were mostly multiple-choice and short-form assignments which he could very easily take care of in the space of a day. The written reports would have to be spread out over the two weeks; along with some of the more involved work as well. He hadn't voiced his itinerary to his mom, mostly because she was busying herself with housework and, at the present, was making them both lunch.

Gumball would've offered to make lunch. They both knew how much he enjoyed cooking; and was often her assistant when certain meals called for it; but any attempts at small talk were shot down. It seemed Niccole was in no mood to give an inch.

Truth be told, Niccole did feel somewhat bad, seeing her usually bright, cheery, and optimistic boy slumped over and sour was by no means something she enjoyed. She knew these last few days and what toll they had taken on her "Gummypuss". At the same time however, she feared that his creativity, spunk, and convictions would be eroded by the consequences of his laziness. If he were to flunk the seventh grade and repeat it, he would most certainly resist every step he had to take, the resentment for everyone involved, her included, would be immense.

There had to be a compromise. Not just for her own concerns, but for his happiness as well.

"Lunch is ready, Gumball." Niccole announced as she walked into the kitchen with their food: breaded macaroni and cheese, "You can take a break for now."

"Cool." Gumball replied unenthusiastically as he glowered at the steaming food placed before him.

Niccole looked over what he had accomplished so far. To both her pleasure, as well as some pain, he had gotten quite a bit done: two reports, and almost all of the individual assignments. Math seemed to be the holdout: but his work was detailed and while there were bound to be errors, she could tell her was giving it his all.

Sitting down to eat, she saw across from her a cat she did not recognize. He looked bored, disinterested, depraved of his usual brilliance. She couldn't take it anymore. Unsure of how to continue; whether to tow the line, or give him a little relief. She chose the later.

"I'm very proud of you, Gumball." Niccole began, "I'm sorry if I was a bit crazy this morning; it's clear you know what's expected of you, and I know you can do it—I feel like I owe you though, how about we go get you a milkshake from that place you like…"

She could see a spark, his ears perked.

Gumball was speechless, though he did let out an acute yelp when his mother surprised him with a hug.

"I trust that you won't let this happen again. You've shown me these last few days that you're ready and willing to be a responsible young tom. Once you get over this hurdle, I have a feeling you'll figure it out."

She kissed him on the top of his head, eliciting a squirm of embarrassment from him. much to her amusement.

Gumball was still grounded, he still had a ton of work that was sure to eat into what free time he had, but, it seemed that at least the drill-sergeant mentality from mom was a thing of the past so long as he did as was expected.

For now, he had some time to himself until school let out for his siblings; then it was off to the Froyo Factory for a treat, followed by some quality time with Darwin.

A small smile formed on his face as he made his way upstairs. Things seemed to be on the upswing.


	5. The Problem

**AN:** _Apologies for the repost, copy/paste was missing a few paragraphs. Can't have that can we? As always, your reviews and comments are always welcome. Encouraged in fact. :)_

* * *

Once again, Gumball found himself taking a ride the family car. This time though, it was being driven at or below the speed limit, and adhering the rules of the road. It's driver was in higher spirits as they were on the way to pick up Anais and Darwin from school.

Richard was about as excited as Gumball was to snag a tasty treat from his son's favorite place.

"Why do they call it the Froyo Factory, son?" Richard asked Gumball.

"Because dad," Gumball answered, "You make the froyo and put on toppings yourself, it's kind of like a buffet."

"Buffet?" Richard's mouth began to water.

"It is not All-you-can-eat, Richard." Niccole clarified as they pulled up the school. It was important to remind the pink rabbit of this fact, not because it would prevent him from going awol anyway; but because Niccole could say she tried.

Soon enough, Darwin and Anais got into the car, both wearing looks of content.

"How was school today, kids?" Niccole asked.

"It was pretty good. I do miss you though man." Darwin nudged Gumball who smiled.

"What about you, Anais?" Niccole continued,

"It was okay. A few kids made fun of me, but I had a pretty average day otherwise."

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart." Niccole sighed. She figured it wouldn't be a 'good day' for a her little girl for some time. "Well, how does froyo and a milkshake sound?"

"Great!" Darwin shouted in glee.

"What's the occasion?" Anais asked, curious.

"Your brother got a lot of work done today, and was a very good boy. I figured you kids could use a little pick-me-up anyway."

"And me!" Richard bounced.

"Yes Richard… and you."

"Are we going there right now?" Darwin asked excitedly.

"Yup." Gumball stated proudly, "Then afterwards, our pet fish needs some sand castles for his awesome aquarium. We thought you could help us with that."

Darwin's grin practically broke his face. "This is gonna be awesome!" he proclaimed.

"Psst,Hey Gumball." Anais whispered as she tapped his shoulder.

"What's up?" Gumball bent over to hear her.

"I met a certain emo ghost girl in the library today." Anais fidgeted nervously. We talked about the Void."

"Oh yeah?" Gumball grinned, "Learn anything cool?"

"She wants us to come over to her house this weekend. Her dad has a ton of books and paintings; she thinks she knows a way to go check it out."

"The Void?" Gumballs eyes widened with anticipation.

"Mmmhm!" Anais smiled, "You think mom will let us go?"

"As long as I don't make her mad this week, I don't see why not." Gumball shrugged. "You and Carrie friends now?"

"I… don't think so." Anais seemed embarrassed by the question. "We just got to talking about stuff; she did ask about you though."

Gumball then had his own tinge of red on his cheeks, "And? She miss me too?"

"Everyone does dude!" Darwin said rather loudly, startling the two siblings. "Penny, Misami; everyone was asking where you were. Even principal brown said it was 'unusual not having Gumball here'."

"I'm sure he meant, unusually quiet." Anais smirked.

Gumball felt some warmth about him. It felt good to be missed, it felt even better to see the sign for the Froyo Factory outside his window.

The kids, as well as Richard, were practically bouncing with excitement as they entered the restaurant. Their smiles quickly inverted when they saw nobody at the front desk. It was odd. The lights were on, cars were at the drive thru, yet nobody seemed to be there.

"Where...are they?" Richard asked, a hint of fear about him.

"That does seem strange, doesn't it?" Niccole wondered, "Oh well, you kids put your yoghurt cups together, and maybe someone will come up.

Gumball, flanked by Anais and Darwin, made their way down the assembly line of cups, frozen yogurt flavors, and toppings. Each of them taking their precious time deciding which they wanted. Gumball opted for 'cake batter froyo, with peanut butter cups, milk chocolate dots, peanut shavings, and hot fudge drizzled on top. Anais was slightly more reserved: strawberry froyo with dark chocolate beads. Darwin was the most adventurous: with vanilla froyo and hot fudge swirls.

"Dude, that's boring." Gumball commented as the three took their cups to be weighed.

"Wha—what is that, like half a small cup of froyo and a little chocolate? Baby's first froyo. How cute~."

"What? Yours is insane!" Darwin protested, "You can't even see the froyo under all that candy and fudge!"

"Is that jealousy I hear?" Gumball teased, "Sorry my awesome taste in everything overshadows your lame taste in nothing."

"Darwin has a point, Gumball," Anais added, "Yours will probably cost as much as ours combined."

"I earned it, kids." Gumball sported a toothy grin as he placed his cup on the scale. Normally a beep would sound, and someone behind the counter would announce the price; but he heard nothing. Turning to the counter he noticed the same thing they saw when they came in.

"What the what is going on here?" Gumball asked aloud.

Then, he heard it, and upon moving to the far end of the counter, he saw it. Three disinterested, poorly dressed teenagers were slacking off and shooting the breeze, seemingly ignoring the patrons both inside and outside while a cheap boombox played some distorted rap music.

"Excuse me?" Gumball asked over the counter. "We'd kinda like to eat our food now."

A dirty look came from one of the teens, but that was the most of it. Back to the babble.

"Hey! We've been waiting for like… five minutes!" Gumball pouted.

"Calm down kid. No need to be rude." One of the employees said with faux offense.

"How unprofessional." Anais remarked.

The jarring sound of Richard's stomach rumbling followed.

Niccole's patience had run thin, snapped, and disintegrated.

"Excuse me!" She barked, finally getting the attention of one of the pimple-infested employees.

"My family and I have been waiting over five minutes for one of you slackers to come up and take our order—"

"Whoa ma'm, calm down. Some people are trying to have a conversation here."

The three teens then resumed their profane exchange, Niccole's fists were clenched and shaking with anger.

"Come with me, Gumball." Niccole grabbed her son's hand and hopped over the counter. Without a word, Niccole began assembling their order. First the burgers, then the milkshake. It wasn't until she sent Gumball towards the back to find the condiments that one of the employees noticed.

"Um, ma'm, what are you two doing?" The girl asked.

"Your job!" Niccole barked. "It's funny, really, I was talking to my son here this morning about—Gummy, can you pass me some of those ketchup packets, thanks sweetie—about being a loser in life; being a slacker and a punk, and how that isn't a life he should lead. I owe you three a 'thanks', you've provided a fabulous real-life example, a teachable moment."

"Er… I'm going to have to ask you to leave." One of the employees said with a cracking voice. Eliciting a snicker from Gumball, and a furious face from Niccole that sent the kid frigid.

"Unless you would like me to report this great moment in customer disservice to your manager, I would keep your mouth shut. Besides—there's some cars queued at the window. You already have one unhappy customer."

The horn of one of the waiting cars startled the employees to their stations, faces burning with humiliation.

Niccole handed the tray of burgers and fries to Gumball who finished preparing the milkshakes. He hopped over the counter to see the stupid grins on the faces of his siblings. Niccole walked around the counter and with her family, returned to the car to eat.

"Did we pay for that?" Anais asked.

"Sweetie," Niccole explained, "I paid them by sparing them their jobs."

"That was actually kind of fun." Gumball laughed.

"I worked for fast food for a few years honey, trust me, you don't want that."

"This is great! Thanks Ms. Mom!" Darwin smiled as he took another bite of his cheeseburger.

"I never knew they had burgers and stuff." Richard remarked, already on his third burger; "Burgers, froyo, and shakes? This place is amazing!"

"Yeah, thank you mom." Gumball said as he finished his shake, peanut-butter with candy to be exact.

"Nice to see some smiles on those faces." Niccole beamed.

* * *

With beyond full stomachs, Gumball and Darwin headed straight for the backyard, eager to get to work on their sandcastles. They had bought ingredients for waterproof sand, wax paper, and a snorkel, flippers, and swim trunks for Gumball.

They began by unrolling the wax paper out onto the grass, and pouring thick strips of sand on top of it. While Gumball leveled the mounds, as an internet walkthrough suggested, Darwin saturated the sand with Fabric Protector Niccole happened to have.

"I'm so excited!" Darwin was practically shaking with excitement Both from the prospects of their project, and the fact that he and Gumball were, for the first time in what seemed an eternity, spending some quality 'bro-time' together.

"What are you gonna make, Gumball? Darwin asked the blue cat who was going over the pages her had printed.

"Dude, I think we have enough sand to make a castle big enough for you to sleep in."

"That'd be crazy!"

"Crazy awesome!" The two high-fived as they sat between the two sets of wax paper, staring intently. The walkthrough had mentioned that it would take some time for the mix to dry, but their excitement was more than enough justification for keeping an omnipresent eye on it….for a little while.

"What do you wanna do while we wait?" Gumball asked, getting bored. "This stuff is going to take a while."

"Wanna play—Oh right, you're still grounded, huh?"

"Yeah. No video games, TV, or internet."

"Dang it, well… we could...huh."

The two found themselves unable to think of anything to do.

"I guess we can go inside and figure it out." Gumball got up, with Darwin following him inside.

Inside, they found Anais reading a book, with a decent stack of printed and bound books nearby.

Not wanting to interrupt, Gumball glanced over her shoulder to see what she was into. As he suspected, it was a compilation of literature and lectures pertaining to the Void. Gumball couldn't help but giggle.

"You're really into that Void stuff now, huh sis?" Gumball mused as he sat beside her; Darwin sitting on the other side, busying himself with one of the books.

"You were right Gumball, it's a pretty interesting subject." Anais replied while keeping her eyes fixed on the pages.

"Am I right about it being real?"

"I wouldn't say so just yet. Until we go to Carrie's house and see what her spell is all about, it's still ambiguous and theoretical at best."

"Wait…" Darwin put the book down and cast a glare to Gumball. "When was I going to be told about this?"

"About what?" Gumball asked.

"Going to hang out with Carrie. Why am I just now hearing about this?"

Gumball found himself suddenly very annoyed. "Sorry mom, I didn't know I had to tell you everything I do."

"What is it with you using mom as a symbol of misplaced and overbearing authority?" Anais asked.

"English?" Gumball looked about as confused as Darwin did.

"Stop trying to change the subject, Anais!" Darwin snapped.

"What are you talking about?" Anais finally turned her attention from her book to look at Darwin with absolute ignorance to what he was on about.

"Nothing." Gumball said clearly annoyed. "He's just being a butt right now."

"A butt?" Darwin was close to shouting. "How am I the one being a butt? You're the one who gets to stay home from school all week; and when we finally spend some time together, you want to come inside and talk to Anais about your top-secret plans that I can't be a part of!"

"Easy there big guy, we've been over this. There's nothing wrong with me spending quality time with Anais too, there's enough Gumball to go around. You both can share your awesome big brother."

Neither Darwin nor Anais seemed amused by this jest. Gumball's slight smile flattened.

"Or not." Gumball thought to himself as he prepared to get up from his seat.

"Fine!" Darwin pouted, raising from his seat as well. "I'm going to go watch TV, with Mr. Dad!"

"Whatever dude, don't care." Gumball sighed, glowered eyes watching the prickly fish stomp into the living room.

"You two seem to be experiencing somewhat of a rift in your friendship." Anais noted as she returned to her book.

"Tell me about it." Gumball groaned. "The kid just needs to take a chill pill and quit being a jealous little baby."

Anais, not interested in having any more to do with this fight than she already did, opted to refocus on her book. Shutting Gumball out for the time being.

Gumball opted to return to his room, which involved passing behind the couch which hosted a fast asleep Richard, dripping in drool, with a pouting Darwin. As he passed the top flight, he saw his mother coming down the hall with a laundry basket.

"You two still fighting?" Niccole asked.

"Yeah." Gumball replied, "I don't get why though, we bought that sand and stuff; it's like he just doesn't want me being with Anais for some stupid reason."

"I swear, If it's not one, it's the other." Niccole muttered to herself as she passed Gumball to go down the stairs.

Sitting on his bed listening to his MP3 player, Gumball did give it some thought; why Darwin was being so bitter lately. Certainly some jealousy was part of it, but he remembered something: Darwin seemed to like Carrie quite a bit. Maybe the fish saw this outing in particular as the worst of both worlds? A betrayal of their friendship, and sabotage of his crush? As much as this amused Gumball to think about this stewing in his pet's head, it was something he should consider.

Among other things that cruised through his conscience as his playlist shifted from calm, slow-tempo arrangements, to more aggressive genres, was this week in general. On the positive, he and his sister were actually forming some kind of lasting bond. She was starting to see him as 'just another goofball/moron', and more as a brother she could confide in, play with, and most important, respect. His mother seemed to also have a slightly higher opinion of him, at least on some tangents of his personality. That was all well and good, but the events that set both positives in motion were anything but: a nasty fist fight, and the Principal Brown putting the fear of God in his mother, projecting a life of delinquency for her first-born.

Gumball looked across the room to his desk, and the binder on top of it. Tomorrow, it was back to the grind of getting its contents completed and corrected to curtail the doom that Brown predicted for him. He wasn't sure if he was doing it for himself, his mother, or simply out of spite for the two that crafted it; but he had a drive to see it through, and he knew that this made his mother proud. Just left of the desk was a window to the outside; the sky's colors were becoming cooler and saturated with that familiar sunset. The cat was startled by the sight. Surely their sand was ready; he just hoped that Darwin was still up for it.

Gumball let a few more songs play out before he made his way downstairs, his stomach slowly preparing to make a ruckus about how it was almost suppertime. He slowly passed behind the couch, and walked beside it, looking over at Darwin who seemed to have not moved an inch since he had gone upstairs.

"Hey buddy, I think our sand is ready. Wanna go check it out?"

Gumball's ears dropped as Darwin's expression stayed stoic.

"Why don't you just have Anais help you?" Darwin spat.

"We're doing this Darwin?" Gumball pinched the bridge of his nose in disbelief. "This was something we were doing, together, remember?"

"I don't really feel like playing with it anymore." Darwin lied.

"Aw, come on! That stuff cost a lot of money! Mom's going to be mad if we just leave it out there."

"Oh, look who cares about money all the sudden?" Darwin crowded, "Not when you're stuffing your face with candy and yoghurt; only when it involves me. I get it."

"Darwin, you're being stupid. Just let it go, alright? I hate doing this."

"Well, I hate talking to you. You think now you can act all mature and bossy just because you and the girls are all goody-goody now. It's embarrassing."

"Darwin, stop." Gumball was on razors edge. He could hear the seething in his voice.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Darwin retorted, shouting in Gumball's face, "You're not the boss of me!"

"This isn't the Darwin I know, please, just knock it off and let's have some fun okay?"

Darwin hopped off the couch and got in Gumball's face sticking a fin to his chest. Gumball couldn't help flinch, it was rare to see Darwin like this.

"Quit talking to me like a child! Just leave me alone!"

Gumball snapped. "Dude, you're my pet fish. I literally own you. If I had my way right now, that little shit of a pet fish would be going down the toilet!"

"Gumball Tristopher Watterson!" Came a livid Niccole from the kitchen.

Gumball felt a chill shoot up spine. He hadn't heard the words he said until he saw the pained, tearful look on Darwin's face, and the unmistakable rage on his mothers' face. Once again, his emotions took hold, and once again he had gone too far.

Before he could rush to apologize, he was grabbed by the back of his sweater's collar, and was soon to be in his room. A furious Niccole with him.

Darwin was uncomfortable with the bubbling rage, and the stinging in his heart brought about by the caustic words of his best friend, For now, the fish figured he could escape into the television for a little while.

Flipping the channels he found one showing some B roll of a school of fish swimming about in what appeared to be a small river. The scne then switched to a camera positioned some yards away from the river. A lion and her lioness enter the shot.

"The Lioness has brought out her cub," the cool and calm narrator says, "Mother cat has been teaching her tom to catch prey, the ways of their world."

It then switches to an up close shot of the cub as it prances along the riverbed, suddenly stopping and advancing somewhat into the water. After a few short moments, it sticks its head in and pops out with a fish flopping wildly, clenched in its jaws.

"Just like the domestic kitty will gladly eat your spare salmon or halibut," The narrator continued as the cub and his mother began to eat the fish with veracity, "In nature, they too appreciate a good day's catch."

"Okay… that didn't help." Darwin grumbled as he sulked outside.

Passing through the kitchen, he could hear Niccole yelling upstairs, the sound clearly echoing through the central air, its source undoubtedly Gumball's room. He couldn't care less what she was saying, and certainly didn't care what he was thinking. In Darwin's mind, he wasn't.

Gathering the sand into a jar he had fetched from the kitchen, he then continued his downtrodden walk upstairs and into their room.

By the time Darwin had opened the door into their room, it seemed Niccole had made her point, whatever it may have been. Gumball sat on his bed, guilt-ridden and ashamed in himself. He watched as Darwin walked past him, not even acknowledging his existence. Taking the sand they had created, and dumping it into his tank. He didn't look towards Gumball's snorkel or flippers, let alone Gumball himself as he crawled in and sullenly began to mold the colorful sand into something. All the while, keeping his back turned to the cat who had verbally bruised him.

Gumball lie stomach first on his bed, head buried in his arms. He would occasionally glance over to see what Darwin had accomplished, and over the next hour, the mounds of color they had gleefully prepared, had taken form of a crude igloo-looking shelter. The fish then floated inside of it, and went to sleep. Not a word of goodnight to Gumball.

He messed up, he knew that; Gumball mentally kicked himself for letting those words come out. Once again, he was on his mother's radar for the wrong reason, and his progress with Darwin was now even more setback than it could have been prior.

Gumball could have sworn he saw a silhouette of Anais, idle in the doorway for a few moments, before being ushered to her room by Niccole. Soon, the hall light was off, and it was soon time for Gumball to fall asleep. He didn't want to frankly, unwilling to look at tomorrow with anything but doubt and disappointment.


	6. The Solution

**AN:** _Sorry about the delay, everyone. Had some stuff come up that delayed me writing this one, and when I was ready to upload it, Charter decided it couldn't internet for the next hour. Got that all sorted, and now you get this. R &R!_

* * *

Ms. Simian had spent the better part of the morning droning on about the wonderful outgoing she and her beloved "Nigel" had had the night before, while the class of disinterested, and in some parts of her story, disgusted students were either asleep, daydreaming, or quietly talking amongst themselves. Darwin found himself lost in thought as well, but of a less pleasant kind.

The words that Gumball had said still reverberated in his mind like an echo down a bottomless metal pit. " _You're_ _ **my**_ _pet fish, I literally_ _ **own**_ _you…"_ As he heard those words meander through his mind, the images of that nature documentary projected upon his mind's eye. When his mind's eye grew bored of tormenting its host with recollection of two lions tearing at the carcass of his like-kind, it whisked him to that day they had uncovered the skeleton of, as Niccole said, Darwin the first. Gumball's nervous reaction, almost fear at having to explain the remains, let alone the very existence of Darwin's predecessors.

 _What were they hiding from me?_ This thought, once born, run rampant through his conscience like the lion cub along the riverbed; the cat waiting to pounce, capture and conquer its fish, and tear it to shreds; which turned into the cub sans the mother, ripping at the fish, which turned into Gumball gnawing about the carcass of Darwin l, the skeleton eventually being all that remained.

His memory of Gumball's seething words also bent and twisted until it was nothing short of a nightmare.

" _You're my pet fish...I, a cat, who prey upon fish, I own you. You're mine."_ The imagined Gumball's eyes were yellow with slit pupils; fangs glistening, _"When you die, you will still be mine. We will not bury you... I will devour you."_

Needless to say, by the time lunch arrived, Darwin wasn't in an eating mood. Shaking with fear as this horrific devolution of reality tormented the fish as he entered the cafeteria, passed the lunch line, and sat at his usual table.

"Everything okay, Darwin?" A voice startled the fish from his frenzy of fear.

"Oh, uh, hi Penny" Darwin replied meekly, "Hi girls."

Penny, along with Masami, and Rachel sat across from him. Having noticed his quiet and melancholy demeanor, they were concerned.

"You just don't seem like yourself." Rachael added. "Where's your lunch?"

"Oh I… don't feel very hungry right now." Darwin answered, eyes darting around the room.

The trio seemed to give this some thought, and decided an ulterior motive was at play.

"Something's up." Rachel asserted, leaning towards Darwin. "Something happen this morning?"

"N-no." Darwin lied, "Really girls, I'm fine."

"It was Gumball, wasn't it!" Masami cackled.

"What did he do?" Rachael added.

"W – nothing! Everything's totally fine." Darwin insisted, panicking a little.

"What's wrong, girls?" Teri had joined the group. Curious as to what the fuss was about.

"Oh nothing," Masami grinned, "Darwin was just about to tell us what Gumball did to him."

"Knock it off, Masami!" Penny growled, "You don't even know if that's true!"

"Don't act like you don't remember what happened to… the other 'Darwins'." Masami said, earning a glare from the other girls.

"W-what are you talking about?" Darwin's eyes grew wide.

"N–nothing. Nothing at all." Penny insisted.

"It isn't my place to say." Masami's grin was immense, "Why don't you ask the cat himself? You know, if you're not afraid." She could very clearly see the fear in Darwin's eyes.

Without warning, Darwin let out a scream and bolted for the hallway, his heart beating a million a minute. He knew who he had to talk to, and he knew where she would be.

Anais had made it somewhat of a daily thing to come to the library early. Carrie wasn't there today, though that was hardly a factor that would impair her seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge, nor douse the flames of her burning curiosity on the Void. The rabbit was once again glued to the computer as she traversed the deep dark pockets of the web, where tinfoil hats reign supreme. At the present, she had brought some headphones from a shelf nearby and was preparing to listen to a decades-old radio interview of an acclaimed researcher of the Void who wound up dead not long after.

This wasn't happening though. She found herself toppled from her chair and on her back, a frantic, hyperventilating Darwin babbling at an alarming rate.

"Darwin, calm down!" Anais hissed, "Are you okay?" She knew he wasn't, but figured it would calm him a bit, or at least enough to where his words made sense.

"I need to ask you something, Anais." Darwin finally calmed.

"I figured as much." Anais sighed. "What's wrong?"

"You know how Gumball told me I was his pet, and that he owned me right?"

"...yeah. He feels really ba—" A fin to the mouth stopped Anais in her tracks.

"Remember when Mrs. Mom found those remains of Darwin l under Gumball's bed? That day we played _Dodj or Daar_?"

"Yeah, we—wait, what?" Anais had no recollection of the remains being unearthed. She grew very cold as she figured where this was headed, yet couldn't summon any kind of response to prevent it.

"Well...I was wondering if...you could tell me something."

Anais didn't want to do this. She reached to the computer, set the volume to 100%, and played her audio program whilst shoving the headset onto Darwin's head, causing the fish to wince and yelp in shock and pain. Anais then rushed as fast as her little legs could carry her out of the library. By the time Darwin had thrown off the headphones and paused the player, he noticed Anais had ditched him.

Following her steps out into the hall, he looked around, seeing she was not there. He sighed, it was clear she wasn't going to talk about it. Though, this did anything but quiet his thoughts, which now were compounded with even more worry and dread. If Anais was too afraid to talk about what happened, how bad could it really be?

Anais was in fact, in the girls room, panting from her unexpected exercise. She hadn't had to think about what her mom had told her for some time. She of course wasn't alive when the previous Darwins existed. Her memory of the events existent through a talk her mom had with her one night when she had asked of the previous fish.

She had to tell mom, and warn the dreaded question was asked.

Checking to see if Darwin was roaming the halls, Anais seemed in the clear. She made her way down the halls of the school, finally arriving at the nurse's office; only to find the nurse absent, door locked.

"Of all the times for her to be away...at lunch." Anais realized. She then set her sights to the principal's office. Seeing his office vacant, and locked, as well.

"Seriously? Seriously." Anais groaned, sliding her paw down her face in irritation.

She then turned to head to Mr. Small's office. Anais was met with a frightening sight.

"There you are, Anais!" Darwin exclaimed with a frown, "Why can't you tell me what happened?"

Wordlessly, Anais made a beeline down the halls, seemingly in a circle. Noticing Darwin was catching up, her mind scrambled with a way out. She then remembered she was a rabbit.

Getting down on all fours, she proceeded to hop madly down the halls, hoping to tire him out. After five minutes again around the corridors, Anais attempted to hide in the library. She peeked through the book cart she had hidden in, watching Darwin scour the shelves, peek under the desks, and ask their peers at to the whereabouts of his little sister.

 _His determination is certainly terrifying._ Anais thought to herself. _How long is he going to keep this up? Lunch is over in less than five minutes._

Anais suddenly felt a chill about her. She looked through the row of books in front of her and saw an eye peeking through.

"Why are you hiding, Anais?" Darwin asked, "You know you shouldn't run in the halls."

Out the opposite side of the cart she came bouncing out like the frightened rabbit she was. Once again, she was dashing down the halls, this time with the destination being the playground. She wouldn't make it there, as she smacked into a large, furry brown thing.

Half relieved, yet also somewhat embarrassed, she looked up to see Principal Brown's irritated expression.

"Young lady, what do you think you're doing running through the halls like this? When I suspended your brother, I did not intend for you to take his place."

"Principal Brown, please," Anais panted, looking back to see she had for now, lost the pursuant Darwin. "I need to call to my mom. It's very important!"

Darwin exited the school doors in a foul mood. Anais had been avoiding him like the plague, and had even had him reprimanded for "bothering" her. His desire for closure on this disturbing question of whether or not his death would be premeditated, and preparation for Gumball's third feast of fish, the images that had battered his brain earlier that day continued their black parade through every fiber of his being.

 _He wouldn't do that,_ Darwin tried to convince himself, _I never heard of the other mes walking, talking; we're best buddies, we're friends...well, not right now, but, he calls me "brother", and "dude", and stuff! He loves me!_

 _...or he'd love to have me for dinner. What if all this time, he's just fattening me up like a turkey?_

His thoughts parted at the sight of Niccole's car pulling up to the school. Usually, Anais would bound into the car with excitement. However, Anais was nowhere to be seen, and after a minute or so of waiting for the usual, he made his way to the front passenger seat-only to find grocery bags occupying it, with Niccole signaling him to the back. By the time he made his rounds to the opposite side of the car, Anais had somehow shot out of school and rushed into the car, buckled and breathing heavily.

By the time Darwin was seated and fastened, Anais was looking out the window, not daring to look Darwin in the eyes. Niccole seemed quiet too. Her usual inquiry on their days seemed absent.

"Hey, uh... Niccole..." Darwin felt odd addressing her that way, he was very uncomfortable though; his heart once again racing, pounding as he spoke.

"I was wondering—"

"Darwin, it's rude to interrupt." Niccole growled.

"Huh? But Anais wasn—"

"She most certainly was, Darwin." Niccole insisted, shooting a frantic glance towards Anais who startled into action.

"Right... As I was saying," Anais began, hesitant for only a second, "So Teri said that there was no way _Daisy the Donkey_ would work as a live-action film, and I told her 'nonsense, of course it could!' I mean, the creative prowess of Daisy's creator is clearly capable…"

Darwin figured he could wait until she was done, as annoyed as he was.

Unfortinatley for him though, the diversion lasted the entire car ride, and even persisted as they were walking to the porch. He had to admit, he was impressed that Anais could make so much of something out of nothing, even if it was in spite of him.

"...and that's why I think childrens productions such as Daisy are crucial in aiding children in their formative years of inquiry and understanding, and why I think it is beneficial that the franchise be expanded into new mediums and genres in order to reach its target audience, as well as fulfill its purpose to educate, entertain, and inspire."

Anais let out a long exhale as if she had been holding her breath underwater. Her throat hurt from her constant jabbering, she also developed a slight headache; though none of this stopped her from zipping to her room as soon as the door opened.

Before he could so much as question the whole thing, Niccole was out of sight as well. Darwin closed the door behind him with a sigh. Richard was nowhere to be seen either, though the TV was on, and food was strewn about the coffee table.

 _Even_ _ **he's**_ _avoiding it._ Darwin grumbled internally, _There's one more person to ask… and I really don't want to._

Bitter and borderline fuming, Darwin made his way to the kitchen where he heard some noise. Sure enough, Gumball was washing dishes. He turned to Darwin with a look of curiosity, which turned to anticipation as he saw the detested expression on the fish's face.

"Look, I'm really sorry about what I said last night." Gumball apologized, "It was totally uncalled for an—"

"I don't care about that." Darwin stated.

"Really? Great!" Gumball launched Darwin into a hug which eased as once again, Gumball noticed the sour look.

"...you're mad about something else." Gumball deadpanned. "What did I do this time?"

"You lied to me." Darwin growled, causing Gumball to grow nervous.

"A—about what buddy?"

"About what happened to Darwin l, and probably Darwin ll, too!" his voice was cracking on every word.

Gumball could feel the sweat coursing down his face. He was unpleasantly surprised being confronted about this.

"I—I don't know what you're talking about, dude." Gumball lied, as he tried to shrug it off and make his way out of the kitchen. Darwin stepped in his way however.

"Remember when we were cleaning under your bed, and we found the remains of Darwin l?" Darwin glared, "Remember that?"

"Nope." Gumball laughed nervously,

"You. Are. Lying!" Darwin boomed. "What did you do to Darwin l?"

Gumball attempted to back away slowly as Darwin walked towards him; his eyes glancing at the door nearby, thinking to make a break for it. Before he could though, Darwin had him cornered between an angle in the counters.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Darwin's hot breath misting on Gumball's face, causing him to close his eyes as he could feel a lump in his throat.

"Calm down, okay? You're freaking me out—Uh… wanna go hang out at the park or some—"

"No!" Darwin screamed, "No, I want you to stop lying to me! You say you're sorry well then, prove it!"

"Wait, what does me being sorry about what I said yesterday have to do with—"

As Darwin started to shout again, he was stopped as a paw grabbed one of his fins. He turned to see Niccole standing behind him, and could see Anais poking her head through the doorway.

"Let him go, Darwin." Niccole growled. Darwin complied, and stepped back, Niccole not loosening her grip. The four made their way to the kitchen table.

"Sit down." Niccole ordered as Darwin took a seat. Gumball following suit at the end of the table.

Niccole let out a deep sigh as she prepared for what to say. Before she could speak, she heard a sniffle, then, a shaky, fearful voice speak up.

"Darwin, I love you…" Gumball began timidly, "I...would never, ever hurt you; you're my brother, my best friend, you mean the world to me, and… You're not like…. what happened…"

Gumball cast a downward gaze as his tongue tied and his mind faltered. His lip was quivering as the words queued to the tip of his tongue, his fear holding them back. He felt a supportive paw on his shoulder, looking up he saw it was that of his mother. Her face saying nothing short of, "It's okay sweetie, you can tell him."

Gumball turned to face to Darwin who now looked about as nervous as he did.

"I ate him." Putting those words to sound was the hardest thing the little cat had done all week.

The stillness that followed gave Gumball time to reflect on that day. One which, in any other conversation with anyone else, would have been a source of humorous reflection. Around Darwin however, it was something he was mindful to never bring up.

It was Gumball's first goldfish, as its postmortem title would imply, and they had gone to the Elmore county fair for some food and fun. When they returned, Gumball found the fish floating upside down, clearly dead. It was clear he had forgotten to feed the fish, and hearing his mother coming up the stairs, he couldn't bare to have her see Darwin lifeless and afloat. Thus, he ate the fish. He was a cat after all, it wasn't so much taboo, as it was unsettling.

He loved it. It tasted amazing. Every bite was succulent and orgasmic. Halfway finished, he began to pluck the fish in and out by the bone as if he were eating a drumstick, his mouth watering with unparalleled temptation as he became lost in the pleasure of its taste, its texture.

"Gumball Watterson!" His mother's voice made his fur stand up and claws unsheathed as he was startled nearly senseless.

"Sweetie, carnival fish is unhealthy for a growing kitty. If you want fish to eat, we'll go buy some. I'm sure you'll be fine, but next time, go over it with me, alright?"

Darwin ll was less climactic, it simply died upon arriving at the house, and was flushed down the toilet. It was too puny to make a snack out of.

Darwin lll was to be the same thing. Gumball wanted to fatten up the fish, and test his cooking chops when it was "ready". Nicole saw this as a wasted effort, but the fish was bought anyway. Over time, Gumball got it to an impressive size, but something happened, that fish grew legs and learned to talk; Gumball named it "Darwin lll", and, over time, they bonded, with the thought of eating him relegated to the stows of abhorrent barbarism. His primal instincts of viewing such a plump fish with a watering mouth and growling stomach were all but brought to an end, as Darwin was elevated from "pet fish", to "brother".

They decided to never tell Darwin of his origins, and certainly of his predecessors. If only because knowing of Gumball's previous fish would cause the poor Darwin to live in perpetual fear of the kitty who loved him the most. The first slip was when Richard told Darwin his full name, with the numerical attached. Fortunately, Darwin thought nothing of it. Next they found the skeletal remains of Darwin l, again, they were able to distract him and discard the remains, hoping that was the last they would hear of it.

Now, Darwin was rendered speechless. The dark daydreams of this morning, joined forces with a re-telling of Gumball's school fight. It was Darwin against the locker and the floor, and instead of fists, it were fangs that came at him. A ferocious fanged feline that showed no remorse and no restraint as it heeded the cruel laws of nature. Before he could speak, there we arms wrapped tightly around him, Gumball sobbing hysterically.

"I..w-would..n-nev-ver do that to you!" Gumball stammered, hardly audible through his hysteria, "P-please don't be af-fraid of me, you're my best friend in the whole wide world, please, I love you, Darwin!" The cat lost the will to form words and began bawling. Darwin put a fin on his shoulder, tears in his own eyes taking shape.

"We all love you very much, Darwin." Niccole smiled though her voice seemed unsteady as well, "You're just as much a part of our family as they are. He cares about you like he does Anais; Richard and I love you like we love him."

Seeing Darwin's grin, his body eased, she added:

"You have nothing to be afraid of."

Darwin watched as Gumball released from his hug, tears still streaming through his fur which was now all but matted.

"I know." Darwin smiled, "I love you too, Gumball. I'm sorry for being so jealous. You're always there for me, you always have my back; I promise to not get mad if you and your sister want to hang out without me."

"Our sister." Gumball emphasized, threatening to choke up and cry again. The two embraced again, with Anais joining the hug shortly after, and Niccole following suit.

Fettuccine Alfredo with sauteed mushrooms was the meal for the evening, having won over the previously determined ribbi steak as Niccole figured it would be best to avoid consuming an animal this evening. Dinner went surprisingly smooth, with trivial conversations about the day's events taking center stage.

Gumball and Anais went for a walk after dinner, having invited Darwin who opted to help Niccole make dessert instead. Outside of the lead-in being focused on the hectic events of the evening, most of the siblings conversation revolved around their ever-expanding interest and intrigue on the Void, and what surprises awaited them this weekend. Gumball had almost totally forgotten that he and Anais were to meet with Carrie; the prospect of her claimed "access" to the Void both exciting and frightening.

All things considered, Gumball didn't have much about his mind as he pulled the covers over and nestled his head on his fluffy pillow; his fish sleeping soundly nearby. His tummy was full, his mind was at ease, and his heart was in one piece.

He couldn't wait for Friday.


	7. The Lost

**A/N:** _That... took some time to get done. Three drafts, IRL keeping me somewhat busy this week, but hey, you finally got it. Horray! Read and Review. See you all again real soon. :)_

 _NINJA EDIT: Thanks fanfic for removing a word because it had at the end. It's an expression...yeesh._

* * *

Friday came like Thursday had never happened; just as Gumball Watterson liked it. He wa s a little more gentle on the snooze button this morning, there as a spring in his step as he went about his morning routine; he even had the mind to hum a happy little tune to himself as he checked off and completed the last of the assignments from his work binder; the acerbic tone of the last few days totally lost on him.

He had managed to avoid a catastrophe: these last few days were certainly a series of unpredictable, unfortunate, and in some cases, annoyingly melodramatic events that seemed to end when Wednesday bowed out. Thursday was largely uneventful relatively speaking, which for the Watterson family, was more than welcome.

Now it was afternoon and Gumball sat at the computer in his room, waiting for Anais to finish her homework before they embarked to Carrie's house. Darwin, having come back from helping Richard clean up downstairs, noticed Gumball's sleeping bag.

"So, you two are gonna go see Carrie, huh?" Darwin asked as he walked to the desk, watching Gumball's game onscreen.

"Yeah. Wanna come?" Gumball offered, he saw no harm in it.

"You bet! Sounds like fun." Darwin grinned.

"What?" Came an almost shrill squeak from the doorway, a peeved Anais had her brows furrowed.

"I told Darwin he could come." Gumball answered, "That's not a problem, is it?"

"Of course it is!" Anais complained. "It was supposed to just be me and you! What does he even know about the Void anyway?"

"Honestly, probably the same I do. Nadda."

Anais let out a loud groan before stomping to her room. Gumball, clearly feeling the tension of being caught in the middle, noticed Darwin's downcast gaze.

"Don't worry, buddy, she's just being cranky. Why don't you go wait downstairs and we'll head out soon."

"Okay!" Darwin rebounded as he skipped out the door.

Gumball then made his way to Anais's room to sort things out.

"Anais," Gumball sighed as he put a patronizing paw atop her head. "I know you look up to me, think I'm the bomb dot com, really, I'm taken. But, Darwin's our brother, and it wouldn't be very nice if we didn't bring him with us. Besides, with how friendly you and Carrie are, I'll need someone to talk to while you both geek out over science-y stuff. Okay?"

"But—" Anais attempted protest, but was preempted by a shush followed by blue paw to the mouth.

"If Darwin doesn't go, I don't go." Arms crossed and eyes glowered, Anais knew she had no choice.

"Fine." Anais grumbled.

"Great!" Gumball smiled, "I knew you'd understand li'l sis. Now let's go!"

Descending the stairs into the living room, Darwin was there. Eyes wide with anticipation.

"So can I come?"

"Sure can, buddy. Come on guys." Gumball ushered his two siblings out the door, taking the lead as they made their way past the Robinson's residence.

"What are we gonna do at Carrie's place?" Darwin seemed about as excited as Anais at this point.

"Carrie and Anais have been looking up how to enter... the _Void._ " Gumball said, emphasizing the last words like it was the legendary title of a grandiose myth of the past.

"I was wondering what she was doing in the library…" Darwin thought aloud, earning a dirty glance from the little bunny who had strode up to Gumball's side, taking his paw as if to claim the cat.

Anais was slightly agitated that she was one among three. For what it was worth, she liked her time with her brother, her _real_ brother as far as she was concerned. It wasn't so much she disliked Darwin in any substantial way, but there was certainly a different kind of affinity for her biological sibling; the conveyance from solemn to joyful the warmth of Gumball's paw holding hers was rivaled only by their mother.

It couldn't be mistaken as any kind of affection beyond familial; any kind of bond beyond that of most tight-knit siblings; it was simply realization that her big brother wasn't some bumbling dolittle, or a feline replication of their father. He could be relatable, reasonable, and rational… at least in some respects. Like everyone else, these last few days showed both sides of him with equal scrutiny.

Thus, despite her heart thumping with anticipation for the adventure and academia that was soon to be realized, part of her very much wanted this moment—the two holding paws casually strolling through Elmore's suburbia, to never end. She would never dare vocalize though, not a chance in hell. Especially with Darwin present.

"Are we there yet, Gumball?" Anais looked up at her brother whose gaze seemed set anywhere but forward.

"Should be getting close." Gumball answered, looking around as if to sight a landmark that would back his reply.

"Haven't we been there before?" Darwin asked. A fleeting thought of familiarity sparking his inquiry.

"Uh...no." Gumball gave it some thought, concluding that he couldn't recall setting foot on her property. The only reason he knew where it was, was because Penny, his crush, had been before and had mentioned the location in a story about a sleepover.

Around another corner, past a few more blocks of monotonous housing developments; beyond the crest of a gradual hill, was Carrie's home: it's bi-story Victorian-era architecture encircled by barren trees, patches of overgrowth, and a general aura that belonged in a steampunk novel as opposed to the far-flung modern sprawl of Elmore, was all but unsightly to the blue cat who strut to the porch, grabbed the ornamental door handle, and tapped it thrice. Anais, having stood hesitant at the property line, came scampering beside her brothers as the door opened, revealing the familiar ghost.

"Cool, you guys made it." Carrie welcomed the three, a subtle grin and, barely a blush on her pale cheeks.

"Duh, you thought we'd wuss out?" Gumball said with faux pas insult.

 _I was worried_ _ **you**_ _wouldn't come._ Carrie thought to herself. She cleared her throat and began to lead the two up to her bedroom.

"So…" Gumball began, noticing Anais was either too entranced, or terrified to speak up. "How do we get to check out the Void?"

Carrie closed the bedroom door behind her, and lit two candles that sat opposite either side of her bed.

"You won't in your current form." She answered.

"What do you mean?" Gumball asked.

"Well, remember when you came to that Halloween party last year, and you and Darwin became ghosts?"

Gumball's mind flopped about like a helpless fish out of water. "No. You know this show doesn't have continuity."

"Oh." Carrie felt somewhat stupid forgetting that. "Well, you'll have to each consume a drop of a potion that will allow you to temporarily become ghosts," she explained, " Once you do that, you stay in your bodies and go to sleep."

"What… wait.. what?" Gumball was somewhat lost.

Carrie sighed as if this were supposed to be second nature, "Basically, you, a mortal, can only enter the Void by becoming a ghost, and being under a spell known as "drifting".

"Like a car?" Gumball had to admit the terminology was somewhat lacking.

"Uh...no." The ghost was clearly getting frustrated. "In this case, it means—"

"Drifting through partitions of space and time." Anais completed, getting the attention of both Gumball and Carrie.

"Don't complete my sentences, kid." Carrie growled.

"Sorry." Anais's face warmed from pink to tomato red within a fraction of a second.

"But yeah, the rabbit's right. Basically, you have to be a ghost to access the dream world, and then use a spell to access the Void."

"So, you've done it before?" Darwin inquired.

"Actually, no." Carrie admitted. "We'll all be figuring this out together I guess. All I know is that the Void exists in a different reality than our own, and it's apparently crazy hard to get the spell just right."

"What happens if you get it wrong?" Anais questioned.

"Don't worry kit," Carrie cracked a sly smile, "I won't."

"My name's Anais!" Anais protested, not liking her ambiguous titles thus far.

"Cool." Carrie couldn't care less, "Now uh, Gumball, I'm going to need your help with something. You know, since I'm letting you two basically play with fire."

"Yeah?" Gumball was somewhat intrigued.

"Come with me." She opened the door, and once again, they headed down the hall, stairs, and into a dining room that reeked of turn-of-the-century deco and design. On the antique table, was a slice of apple pie.

Gumball knew where this was headed before the ghost even made a motion to the confection.

"You got three more slices?" Gumball asked.

"I think so." Carrie answered, "Why?"

"Duh, so Darwin, me and Anais can have one."

"Anais, Darwin, and _I_." Anais corrected.

"Or I guess just Darwin and, _I_ if Anais wants to play Grammar Police." Gumball shot a wry smile and menacing eyes at his sister who froze in fear of not having a slice for herself.

"That's what I thought." Gumball muttered triumphantly.

Carrie floated into the kitchen, and emerged with three more slices of pie and a whipped cream canister.

"Got any chocolate chips?" Gumball was milking this.

"Gumball!" Darwin gasped. "You already get two slices of pie, quit being so greedy!"

"Two?"

"Well, he does have a point." Carrie answered, "I am possessing your body for the sensation of eating it, but it's your teeth that are chewing it, your taste buds that are sensing it; the only real difference is that you won't remember the first one."

"Whatever, just don't go crazy alright?" Gumball asked as Carrie's mouth watered, her eyes set on the blue cat before her.

"Promise." Carrie smiled. "Thank you, Gumball. You're a real pal."

Before he could reply, Carrie shot into Gumball's mouth, his body unchanging on the outside save for his eyes going yellow, with that same primal pupils form that Anais was all-too familiar with by now.

A possessed Gumball then leapt upon the table and shoved his face into the pie, making a mess of himself and the table, while getting the better portion of the pie in its intended mouth. Taking a few moments to revel in the sensations her host afforded her, Carrie freed herself from Gumball's body; unfortunately neglecting to get down from her table first. With Gumball flailing, and falling onto the floor face first. Darwin rushing to his side.

"Aw shoot! I'm so, so sorry, Gumball!" Carrie panicked, face red with embarrassment as she rushed to his side.

"It's all good." Gumball lied, more than pissed his return to conscience involved face-planting and a messy muzzle..

"You even got some on my whiskers." Gumball complained as he took a face towel from the table and pinched and slid it along his whiskers to rid them of the pastry and viscous filling.

"I…" Carrie was now beyond ashamed. "I guess I broke my promise."

"Don't worry about it, Carrie." Gumball calmed himself, "I still get my pie, don't I?"

"What?" Anais whined.

"No fair!" Darwin pouted.

"Two things:" Gumball scolded them both, "Darwin, you wanna get possessed and wake up face first into this sliver-infested hardwood floor? Anais, you don't have to be here you know."

"Yeah…" Carrie muttered, "We could be alone together…"

"Huh?" Gumball turned to a tomato red Carrie who hoped to a false god he didn't hear any iota of that.

"N—nothing!" Carrie's relief was slightly bated as she glanced to see Anais, a devilish grin on her face, surely to spill the beans if she didn't get what that ghost knew she wanted.

Two slices of pie per-Watterson later, the quartet were back up in the bedroom, one of Carrie's many tomes of spellbooks open to an advance page. Gumball and Darwin both attempted to read it, their attempts hindered by the odd script scrawled about the pages. The rather cryptic diagrams didn't help either. Even with all of her research and study, Anais found herself as lost as her brother. Both eventually gave up and sat beside Anais opposite of Carrie as she wordlessly mined the text for a few minutes.

"Alright guys, I think I got this." Carrie smiled as she looked from the book to her captivated guests.

"Where did you get this book?" Darwin asked.

"Some dude in the underworld heard me going on about it to one of my friends, pretty cool huh?"

"I guess." Gumball shrugged. "All the words look like busted up onion rings."

"Yeah, what language is that anyway?" Darwin felt a chill in the air.

"And the pictures look like primitive cave drawings." Anais added.

Carrie found herself slightly annoyed. "Don't tell me you three wanna bail?"

"No!" Gumball panicked, "No, no… we just… Not gonna lie, We're kinda nervous."

"Guys, I got this. Spell looks super easy, actually, it's just a occult circle and a chant."

"Seriously?" Gumball cast a doubtful look, "That seems a little lame."

"It won't be if it works." Carrie smiled, taking candles and markers from her shelf and assembling what amounted to a alchemy symbol on the floor. As she came around to where the Wattersons sat, she made sure to move towards Darwin in such a way so that he would scoot out of the way, giving her more than enough room for what was to happen next.

"Alright, so, everyone take each-others hand," Carrie instructed as she hurriedly floated into her space between Gumball and Darwin. The hand holding of course was not necessary at all for this spell, but was more than necessary for Carrie to get away with holding _his_ paw.

Gumball winced at the contact initially, for whatever reason, be it Anais or Carrie, his dirty paws were in demand as of late. In his head of course he wished Penny would eventually have the same attraction.

"Right," Carrie continued, glancing at the markings on the floor and the candles beside it, a look of confidence about her. "Repeat after me: Zelus emergere!"

"Zelus emergere!" Gumball and Anais replied.

"Ze-loase… emergari!" Darwin found himself trembling, his brain turning words to mush.

"Uh...dude...that's not what she said." Gumball panned.

"I'm sorry alright?" Darwin whined, "I'm just a little—"

"This isn't time to be scared!" Anais spoke with an air of irregular passion as she stood up and faced the other three. "We've got worlds to explore, mysteries to solve, and adventure calling our names! Quit being a baby, and let's do this!"

Gumball burst into a fit of laughter, "Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?"

Anais found herself embarrassed by her uncharacteristic outburst. Cheeks burning as she sat back down.

"Alright, alright, let's try again." Carrie couldn't help a smile. Even if this didn't work, they seemed to be having fun. She was anyway.

The foursome once again joined hands, closed their eyes, and chanted in near-perfect unison.

"Zelus emergere!"

"Zelus emergere!"

"Zelus emergere!"

"Zelus emergere!"

Opening eyes afforded them a sight on the marked circle emitting a glow on its inner perimeter. First white, then transitioning to a slime green. Shortly after, the floor below them began to tremor slightly.

Then silence and stillness.

"Well, that worked." Gumball scoffed.

"Weird." Carrie huffed as she floated over to the book. "I could've swo— ...oh shit."

"Language!" Darwin accosted, "There's children here—"

As the last sound left his mouth, the floor began quaking violently, sending loose objects off shelves, a loud noise that sounded like hurricane-force winds surrounded them. The circle lit up again, and a green whirlpool of radiating substance emerged within it.

Before the could blink, a cloud-shaped manifestation of semitransparent green erupted from the portal, hissing as it turned to its summoners, bearing teeth and bulging eyes.

"Yeah that's…. that's not what was supposed to happen." Carrie sighed as she casually turned a page in her book whilst the Watterson children were frozen in fear.

The green blob then began zipping around the room like Gumball after a laser pointer, staying close to the walls while smashing various things.

"Oh, I meant _irritum_." Carrie chuckled, "Where did I get _zelus_? She looked up as if her rhetorical was to be answered, but noticed the Wattersons terrified faces, and the green blobs menacing demeanor, it eyes turning red with yellow pupils.

"Guys? I think we need to—"

"Way ahead of ya, Carrie!" Darwin panicked as he grabbed Gumball and bolted out the door.

"Wait! GUYS!" Anais cried as her little legs struggled to give her much advance on the demonic morph.

The hallway seemed endless as Gumball lead by Darwin sprinted down the corridors. only to find rooms at the other side of the doors they frantically threw open.

"Her house does _not_ look this big from the outside!" Darwin yelled as they once again zoomed out of another room.

"Yeah, this is kind of ridiculous." Gumball panted, getting a sharp chill as he noticed something, someone was missing.

"ANAIS!" Gumball screamed, barreling back in the direction he hoped was Carrie's room, sharp scampering turns and all.

Gumball's face went pale as he turned a corner, he saw Anais, she had not made any headway and was but feet ahead of the goon who seemed dead set on his prey.

"Gumball! HELP ME!" Anais was practically crying, knowing full well this thing was bound to catch her at some point, the ambiguity of its malicious intent doing anything but calm her rattled nerves.

Gumball sprinted in her direction, claws unsheathed ready for a fight with this monstrosity. To his horror, it instead opted to end its pursuit, tackling the rabbit and shooting into her mouth as Carrie would.

By the time Gumball reached her, panting and panicked, it was too late. Anais was face first and unmoving.

Gumball was speechless as he turned his sister on her back, his sight of her being obstructed by his watering eyes. Suddenly, Anais's eyes shot open, her pupils were now however, the same horrifying shape and color as her predator. Gumball backed away slowly, unsure of what to do.

"Hey!" Gumball did his best to sound assertive, the fear crept in his voice anyway. "L—Leave my sister alone you...you… whatever you are!"

"Anais" then turned to him in a fashion that seemed fit for horror films and nothing else. She got to her feet, and set her sights on Darwin who came rushing to Gumball's side, only to shriek as "Anais" stomped at him.

"LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE YOU SIMPLE-MINDED INBRED CIRCUS FISH." Anais's voice was hoarse, nasally, and drenched in malintent.

"Wha—what are you…" Darwin was stunned in fear as the fanged rabbit hissed.

"DARWIN! RUN!" Gumball shouted as he grabbed Darwin and sailed back through the maze of hallways.

Just as the pursuant and possessed Anais vacated the hallway after them, Carrie poked her head out of her bedroom door.

"I think I figured out how we catch this… Guys?" She looked to see no one was there.

"Great." Carrie sighed. "I really need to brush up on my Ghost Latin."

Gumball, Darwin not far behind, had found their way downstairs, and were hiding in the pantry. For now it seemed, the demonic bunny was in search mode, giving the two time to catch their breath.

"What happened to her?" Darwin breathed, his inhales heavy and cold.

"I...don't...know…" Gumball was equally spent, "That green thing possessed her, man…"

The two were startled as a white flash burst seemingly out of nowhere.

It was Carrie.

"There you two are!" Carrie whispered. "I figured out how to open a portal to the Void!"

"Oh, that's _wonderful_ Carrie!" Gumball replied with dripping sarcasm, "Why don't we focus on saving my sister first!"

"That's part of it." Carrie answered, "I'm really sorry, Gumball."

"I'll accept your apology once you get that thing out of her." Gumball growled.

"We need to lead her to the portal." Carrie explained, "Once we satisfy...him, he will escape into the portal and we can be done with this."

"Satisfy?" Darwin gulped.

"Well, turns out what possessed Anais was a thing called Jealousy. It basically possesses someone and causes them to reveal their, well, jealousy and envy...unfiltered."

"Okay, that's great, but how do we stop it?" Gumball was getting impatient.

Carrie was going to answer, but was startled by a sound from what seemed to be the kitchen.

"First, we have to go." Carrie slowly opened the pantry door. Confirming that the blob was hovering about the kitchen, rummaging through cabinets and drawers, tossing things about.

The three attempted to creep through the living room, tiptoeing about the floor towards the stairs. Just as Gumball passed the first flight, Darwin's foot landed on a creaky floorboard. It's loud, drawn out sound earning a hiss from the possession who poked its evil little head from around the corner, its prey in sight.

"Aw, dang it!" Darwin grimaced, suddenly being yanked by Gumball as they rushed up the stairs, and scrambled down the hall.

"YOU'RE ADOPTED." they could hear "Anais" boom, "YOU ARE A PET FISH! I AM HIS SISTER, ONLY I AM WORTHY OF HIS ATTENTION."

"Wow," Gumball snorted, "Well, at least she's being honest about it."

"...and making it easy to see what she wants." Carrie added, shutting the bedroom door behind her.

"Now," She began, "Jealousy wants you, Darwin."

"Obviously!" Darwin quipped.

"We have to give it what it wants, don't we?" Gumball fidgeted nervously.

Before Carrie could answer, the door was smashed open, "Anais" hissing with delight, her front teeth shaped like Gumball's canines.

"YOU'RE MINE NOW." Anais cackled, seeing the portal now gray, textured like static of an analog television.

Gumball, Carrie and Darwin chucked various things at the possession as she inched closer to Darwin, seemingly unphased by the projectiles. Seeing Darwin in the center of the room, she licked her lips with cruel anticipation.

It seemed like slow motion as Gumball leapt towards Darwin, arms outstretched with the intent of pushing him out of the way; Anais however, made it first, grabbing the fish by the cheek, hopping into the air, and flinging the fish down into the portal. But before its host could herself meet the same fate, the green manifestation surged from her muzzle, and crossing into the portal, which turned green, and quickly dissipated, causing Anais to face-plant onto the reclaimed floor.

"Darwin…" Gumball barely whispered in disbelief as he impacted the floor as well. Dazed and confused for a moment, he shot back into reality and rushed to his sister's side as she seemed to awaken, groggy.

"Wha...What happened?" Anais rubbed her head as she felt Gumball embrace her.

"Anais! Are you okay?" Gumball said with a panic, eyes wide as they darted around the room, still not believing what he had just seen.

"You're...shaking." Anais noted as she slowly began to remember what preceded her blackout. Her eyes seeked at locked on Carrie who flinched.

"He's...gone…" Gumball stuttered with a hush voice, sight now fixed on the floor where a portal once resided.

Carrie choked up. Seeing her friend like this was a bit much. It also didn't help that her other friend, his brother, was now lost to the Void.

Suddenly, Gumball picked up Anais, almost slinging her over his shoulder. He turned to Carrie with a face of utmost hatred.

"You...YOU did this!" Gumball spat. "This is all. Your Fault!"

"Gumball, I…" Carrie stammered.

"NO!" Gumball's voice was hoarse. "I… I don't know what we're gonna do; but we're _not_ staying here!" With that, he stormed out of the room, clutching to his sister as if she were a prized possession.

Carrie followed them out. "Wait! Gumball, please, I can fix this!"

"Leave us the fuck alone!" Gumball's voice strained as tears streamed down his face. "Don't you come near me or my sister again until you _get him back_!" The front door to the house slamming with a force that rattled the walls.

Carrie watched out a front window as the cat carrying his sister stormed away, not once looking back to see the pain on her face. She knew she would need their help to get him…

...She knew they didn't have much time.


	8. The Found: Part l

**A/N:** _Finally back from my vacation to Los Angeles. Fun time. Anyway, here's the first part of three chapters. We get to take a break from Gumball and Anais after this, so...there's something to look forward to. As always, keep the R &R coming!_

* * *

It would be safe to say that Gumball was having an unpleasant evening. A throbbing headache from his fall off a table courtesy of a reckless friend, being chased by his possessed, and possessive sister, then evade Jealousy as it tried to drag him into the underworld; really, it would be quite the bleached lie if he were to tell his mother that life was peachy. There was also the issue of his little brother; best friend being dragged into the horrifying unknown of the Void.

Gumball, having ingested a inadvisable amount of ibuprofen washed down with a glass of tapwater; curled up on his bed, face shoved into the fluffy pillow he clung to. Speaking of his bed, speaking of many things, really, it was no longer a bunk bed. Instead, his room was furnished with a single twin-sized bed, free of any signs of Darwin having lived at all. His fishbowl, the toys and games they made and mastered, none of it existant. Darwin's absence wasn't limited to material things either, he was missing from every record of the family's life, from photographs, home videos; it seemed that the theory of vanquishment to the Void took any trace of your existence with you seemed to hold water.

Twilight gave way to night as the sight outside the bedroom window transitioned from a silhouetted suburbia against a soft colored sky, to a black, boundless expanse of stars, with the moon's light illuminating what Gumball's meek bedside lamp could not. A new, almost blinding light from the hallway, made known by his briefly opened door caused the kitty to groan in annoyance, turning to face the wall behind him.

"Not feeling any better, sweetie?" Nicole asked softly as she sat beside with a comforting stroking paw on her son's side.

"No." Gumball mumbled, fearing any kind of movement, or response to any inertia for that matter would bring on further discomfort.

"Awww, Gummypuss." Nicole leaned down to softly embrace her ill-stricken tom. "From what Anais says, it sounds like you two had quite the adventure tonight. You just get some sleep, alright?"

"Mmhmm." Gumball couldn't bother to muster any more of a response, his head felt heavy and his eyes even heavier.

For the first time he could remember, Gumball had no answers; no screwball J.V spunk or wit to dig him out of this hole. His outlook was far from bleak, but was so distant from his usual reckless optimism that even he noticed his emotional deficit.

His eyes long since dried, his anguish took the form of unending repetition of that sight of Darwin being cast into the vortex, the nightmarish ghost surging in behind him. All he could think about was how afraid Darwin must be. From what he could understand, the Void was a scary place, reserved for rejections, things deemed obsolete; misfit. Darwin was none of those things, and while they way Gumball had treated him lately would say otherwise, at no point did he wish anything like this. Now it appeared he was alone with his memories of the fish, as the world around him seemed to forget of Darwin's existence entirely, with not a trace to be found.

As Gumball stared into the night sky, a vast, empty plane polluted by stars, body slowly relaxing in anticipation of sleep, a new feeling came about the cat, one of guilt. He knew very much that it was him that set this whole thing in motion, giving Darwin the cold shoulder, which fostered tension between his two younger siblings; which caused Gumball to play the part of appeaser and bring Darwin along to something he knew was dangerous. No doubt Anais was upset with him as well, for many things beyond Darwin's exile; certainly Carrie was put off by his bitter, abrasive words and accusations. If anything could be deemed a bright spot of all this, it was that Darwin's absence was known and felt by him alone; and this was only a plus in the sense that so far as this reality was concerned, the worst he did was mess around with a ghost and develop a migraine.

Once again, an unwelcome flood of light compelled him to turn to the wall again. Fortunate for him, the intensity wasn't as severe as last time, and he quickly realized why.

Turning back as the lighting returned to its dimmed state, Anais stood beside his bed, drooped ears and a face which wore a look of concern.

"Dad wanted me to come check on you." Anais explained, Gumball's expression making it clear she needed a good reason for bothering him.

"Well, I'm not dead." Gumball replied harshly, "You can go away now."

Anais wasn't sure how to proceed, so she opted for a conversational game of minesweeper.

"You doing okay Gumball?"

"You of all people to ask such a dumb question." the cat groaned, "Wanna guess?"

"Sorry." Anais couldn't help but look away, feeling stupid.

Both reveled in the noise of crickets outside for a brief moment, followed by the air conditioning turning on, the light hum of air pushed through the baseboard creating an odd ambiance.

"Is this real, Anais?" Gumball asked, more rhetorically than anything, as if an once of denial struggled to keep control. "Is this a thing that's happening?"

"...I'm afraid so, Gumball." the kit replied softly.

"What are we supposed to do? I mean, he's...gone! How are we going to get him back?" Pain was now very clear in his voice as it grew coarse once more.

"I don't know, Gumball." Anais conceded, "I'm sorry. If I hadn't been such a jealous brat, none of this…"

"No, Anais." Gumball was very stern with his words, "You're not responsible for anything. I'm the older brother, I'm the one who pitted you two against each other, I caused this whole mess. Now my best buddy is doomed to live in the Void forever, and it's all my fault!"

A knock on the door startled the two, Richard opening the door, seemingly oblivious to their conversation.

"Son, you mom saved some dinner for you, would you like me to bring it up to you? It's fried chicken, au-gratin potatoes, and apple crisp with cookie-dough ice cream!" He couldn't help his toothy grin at the spread he enjoyed earlier, his mouth watering slightly.

"Sure." Gumball smiled, "Thanks, dad."

"No problem, son." Richard replied as he slowly closed the door. Moments later he returned, a folded TV tray in hand with the aforementioned feast. Gumball sat up on his bed and slowly began to eat his belated supper. Enjoying some potatoes and chicken while he waited for Richard to return downstairs.

"We have to get him back." Gumball spoke, "We have to journey into the Void and save him!"

"Gumball…" Anais began,

"If it doesn't have anything to do with how we are going to rescue Darwin, then I don't wanna hear it!" Gumball rose from his bed a put a fist in the air. "Some stupid Void thinks they're going to take my brother away? I'll show them!"

"Gumball, the Void is unknown, uncharted; what if you disappear too?"

"One less half-wit for you to worry about." Gumball smugly replied. "If you're with me, then let's go. if not then, well, tough luck."

"Gumball this is stupid! Don't you see? As soon as you enter the Void, your existence in this world is wiped out, gone! In case you haven't noticed, I really like you…"

"Aww, that's kinda cute, Anais." Gumball cooed his peterved sister as he shoved the remaining apple crisp and ice cream in his mouth. FInished, he hopped out of bed, ready to start for the window when his migraine rushed back, the weight of his head returned with a vengeance.

"Ow! Okay… maybe, maybe tomorrow." Gumball slumped back onto his bed and under the covers, a defeated expression on his face, though, for a moment, a sly smile came about.

"You said you love me, right Anais?"

"Yeah, but—"

"Could you be a swell little sis and take this tray downstairs for me?"

Anais was wordless with disbelief as she snatched the tray and stomped out of his room, leaving the door open as consequence for his cocky attitude. Upon taking the tray downstairs, she opted to retire to her room.

Lying on her bed staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to her ceiling, she worried about what tomorrow would bring. She too missed Darwin, and was disturbed by the effective whitewashing the Void inflicted upon a mistakes existence. Still though, this did not explain why she and Gumball still had their memories of him. Presently though, she worried about what tomorrow would bring, especially if her brother acted on his intentions.

Anais could hear the muffled sounds of Nicole and Richard saying their goodnights and well wishes to Gumball, the light from the hall extinguishing as the two made their way to Anais's room; figures silhouetted some by her Daisy the Donkey nightlight.

"Goodnight, my little Anais." Nicole whispered as she kissed the kit goodnight, Richard tucking her under the covers.

"Sleep tight little girl. We love you." Richard smiled warmly as the two adults finally made their way to their own room.

' _I love you too, all of you...'_ Anais thought, for some reason not saying it aloud. Those words brought her back to Gumball's response to her own similar statement. She knew his heart was in the right place; she also knew his head was anything but grounded, but she also knew that she loved her brother; and whatever stupid thing he was going to do, she would likely be right there with him.

Time. A finite, forever progressive measure which cares not for the implications of its advance.

In the case of recovering their friend from the Void, time was indeed running out.

Gumball wasn't finding sleep any time soon. He tossed and turned numerous times, several configurations of swaddling, shuffling his pillow; evaluating the preferability of lying on his stomach as opposed to his back, and the unwelcome complications incurred by the former, three hours since his parents said their goodnights, he somehow was ushered into slumber.

The shrill buzz of his alarm clock jostled him out of sleep, waking up face first into his pillow, a puddle of drool present, with some residue around his mouth. He felt groggy and dirty, but on the bright side; he didn't feel like he had a medicine ball inside his skull, nor did his eyes struggle to open. Sitting up and outstretching his forepaws, he noticed at the foot of his bed, was a TV tray with a breakfast burrito situated on it, accompanied by orange juice and ibuprofen.

A slight smile crept on his face, he knew very well who was responsible for this, and had every intention of thanking her first thing when he saw her. Drearily looking around his room which was now fully illuminated by the unobstructed sun outside as he brought the food before him; his mind seemed empty save for some floating thoughts of renting a video game, perhaps getting on Elmore+ and seeing if one of his favorite pages posted another hilarious compilation of stick-figure animations.

First though, he needed to get dressed. Heading over to his closet, he nearly tripped over what appeared to be a raised path in the carpet as if someone had run a coax cable underneath it. Not thinking anything of it, he put on his sweater and pants, turning around to retrieve his breakfast tray. This time, he looked down to watch for the bump, stopping just before it.

"This is new." Gumball noted aloud as he followed its path to the wall. Convinced it was an optical illusion brought on by his tiredness, Gumball got on all fours and crawled to the meeting between the raised carpet and the molding. He could've swore a portion of the wall, the same width of the carpets raise, was offset slightly almost as if his wall was the product of some mediocre graphics editor.

Making a mental note to investigate later, he resumed his trip downstairs which greeted him with the predictable sight of Richard watching TV. Looking at the clock however, something very unusual had occurred: Gumball had slept in.

2:35PM was what was read on the clock, and Gumball found himself surprised, only then remembering his horrible migraine and restlessness of the night before. Entering the kitchen/dining room, he saw Nicole and Anais putting a new puzzle together. Both greeted him as he passed into the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, sweetie." Nicole greeted, "Feeling better?"

"Yeah." Gumball replied, "I have a feeling my amazing breakfast had something to do with it."

"I will have you know Anais helped pan-fry and season the potatoes. she was a very big help this morning, weren't you?"

Despite Anai's mental aptitude, her age and its implied immaturity was impossible to escape at times. A broad, proud smile across her face.

"I also went into town and did some shopping," Nicole added, "The cookies in the pantry are for an office party. You and your father both may have _only one_."

"Awww!" Gumball groaned, having noticed the confections while looking for a quick snack to follow his breakfast.

Nicole noticed that Anais had suddenly begun to free herself from her high chair.

"Anais, where are you going? We're almost finished."

"I'll be right back, mom." Anais assured her as the bunny watched for her brother's inevitable trek back to his room, which she followed.

Gumball was oblivious to his follower until her turned to close the door behind him.

"Oh...hey, Anais. Uh, I need some alone time okay?"

"Seems kind of early for that doesn't it?"

"That wasn't what I meant." Gumball glowered, "We'll hang out later, alright?"

Shutting the door, he checked to his left and confirmed the deformation still existed. He once again stood before it, noticing now it didn't look like a simple displacement, the sun's changing position seemed to reveal it was a crease, a literal fold.

"What the what?" Gumball was beyond perplexed, but curiosity piqued, he took his his two paws and grabbed the crease, pulling it towards him with all of his might. At first this simply resulted in the paint chipping and drywall cracking, loud enough to catch Anais's attention from opposite his door.

"Gumball, what are you doing?"

"Uh, Guy things Anais. Icky puberty things."

"Ew!" The muffled squeal of his sister who seemed to take the bait amused him. As he returned to his investigation, he began to pry the crease from as high he could reach, to the wall molding near the floor, leaving an odd vertical gap in the wall which creased at both ends resembling a ziploc bag.

A rush of cold air seemed to come from the opening, startling the cat who leaned against the wall to peer into the opening with his left eye. What he saw was terrific: the space underneath the wall was textured with something that reminded Gumball of television static. He inched his face even closer, sticking a finger through the hole. This proved to not be the best idea as suddenly, a vacuum-like suction began to pull on him, seemingly dragging him through the hole in the wall.

Gumball let out a scream as he was sucked in, grabbing tightly to the much expanded hole in the wall, but it was no use as it snapped. He could see as he fell in, his bed, desk, all the contents of his room were also thrown about with smaller objects sucked in like a whirlpool. The last thing he saw before the portal rapidly closed, was Anais bursting through the door, a look of awe and terror plastered about her.


	9. The Found: Part ll

**A/N:** _This is a short chapter. All because it doesn't quite flow with the one before it, or after it; so it gets its own. Part lll coming in a few days._

* * *

The sky, the ground, the very backdrop of all existence it seemed, reminded one of television noise. When one did not speak or disturb the world around them, they could hear faint white noise, a soft wind, and a continuous buzzing sound that sounded garbled and faded as if it were some shortwave broadcast.

To most, being stuck in a world such as this would be incredibly irritating.

For Darwin Watterson, the last twelve hours were nothing short of terrifying.

His descent into the bottomless pit of nothing was endless and terrifying. Darwin's stomach beyond in a knot as he flailed his fins madly to grab on to any of the quickly passing debris, obsolete electronics, fashion trends, and the occasional floating island with a house, sign, or tree upon it. The errant directions and forces of gravity, seemingly exerted by anything and everything, tossing him about as his downward course saw no end.

The forces of his fall, made turning his head to see above him arduous and cumbersome; but he did it, and regretted it immediately. Sure enough, Jealousy was hot on his tail.

"Aw, dang it!" Darwin screamed as his body went cold. Instead of clinging futily, he now grabbed whatever he could manage, and attempted to hurl it at Jealousy. After several attempts ending with the object, from a crowbar, brick, laserdisc, and a mullet with more gel than should be legal slamming right back in his face, he began hoping this was all some sick and twisted nightmare.

Pinching, slapping, and slamming himself against various heavy things was the next course of action.

"Wake up, Darwin!" He shouted, his face becoming even more battered and bruised, "Come on, wake up!"

Turning his head again, he just barely caught Jealousy as it surged into him, the feeling was horrible, like a bitter mix of slime, gelatin, and pudding surging down his throat at a million miles per hour. Though, he noticed that outside of the bad taste and discomfort, nothing seemed to happen to him.

"Oh yeah!" Darwin smiled, "I'm really not jealous of anyone. My life is pretty good...except for right now, I guess."

Jealousy then surged out, letting off an frustrated snort as it shot into the emptiness, somehow defying the odd physics that governed this place.

"Aww, yeah, take that jealousy!" Darwin shouted triumphantly, forgetting his dire descent for but a moment. His celebration was abruptly halted when his fall came to an end, impacting what seemed to be the ground.

Much to his dismay, this ground was only of one of the many floating islands he had seen much of. Much to his glee however, the house sitting upon it was a blue two-story suburban home that he knew too well to ever mistake.

Forgetting his orientation, he made a mad dash up the porch and began to bang on the door as he found it was locked from the inside.

"Mr Dad, Mrs. Mom!" He hollered, straining his voice. "Gumball! Anais!"

No response. Peeking through the two front windows, he noticed the living room and the visible portion of the kitchen seemed to be unoccupied.

"Maybe they're asleep." Darwin thought, "But how do I get inside?"

Looking around, he noticed some debris falling close enough to reach, one of which being a sizeable rock. He grabbed it, only to drop it just short of the porch steps.

"That would be wrong." Darwin surmised. "I know! I'll try the back door!"

Walking around the house, he struggled to scale the fence, eventually falling into the backyard, which featured the shed, clothesline; nothing was out of place.

Brushing himself off, for Nicole did not approve of grass stains, he marched to the back door, once again kicking on it after being met with another locked door.

He didn't bother hollering this time, as the reality of his situation began to sink in. He sulked slightly as he returned to the front of the house.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Mom." Darwin muttered as he took the rock and hurled it through the left window. Being careful not to scrape against the glass which remained, he tumbled onto the living room floor.

The living room was laid out the exact same as he remembered. The furnishings, photographs, construction, all a 1:1 mimic of the Watterson household. All with the exception of the family portrait, which was anything but. The same staging, lighting, backdrop; but only Gumball and Darwin were seen, as if the rest of the family were skillfully edited out.

"When the heck?" Darwin wondered aloud as he slowly made his way to Gumball's room. Greeted with the desk, bunk-bed; everything he remembered. Even his new aquarium, complete with furnishings, was present. Curiosity burning, he returned to the hallway and noticed something strange.

Normally, there would be a door to the left of Gumball's; Anais's bedroom. This door did not exist. Nor did the door leading to his parent's room. Only he and Gumball's room, as well as the washroom, seemed to exist. The outside of the house however, seemed totally intact.

"Mom? Dad?" Darwin called out as he paced around the eerily empty house. "Gumball? Anais?"

The calls remained unanswered. Even the bathroom which usually had a slight echo was oddly free of reverb.

"Gumball?" Gumball now stared out the opened front door, the gravity of his predicament sinking in. "This isn't funny you guys, I'm scared… Guys?"

Darwin slumped as tears fell from his eyes. He was alone in this scary, vast unknown with no sign of a way home. All this rendition of home did was further remind him of what he missed.

"Darwin?" The voice surprised Darwin who whirred around to see a sight that warmed his heart.

"Gumball!" Darwin cheered, rushing to hug the cat. "I missed you so much! This is all just some crazy dream, I know it!"

Looking up however, he saw Gumball was none too happy to see him. In fact, he looked afraid.

"Gumball? What's wrong?"

Gumball backed away slowly, his eyes wide and full of fear.

"M-mom?" Gumball stammered, Nicole coming into view. "What is...what is _that_ doing here?"

"Hey! That's not very…" Darwin's protest was halted as he saw Nicole wear an equally horrified face.

"I thought it was dead…" Nicole said under her breath, enough for Darwin to hear.

"I'm not a zombie!" Darwin panicked, "Remember when we went to Carrie's house, and Anais got possessed; remember? I'm fine! Look!"

Darwin furiously flapped his fins and did a dance, a smile on his face which quickly faded as his demonstration seemed to worsen the cats' fear.

"H-how do you know her? What's going on, mom?" Gumball's voice was quivering, his face growing pale.

"Gumball...it's me! Darwin, you're brother!" Darwin began to grow upset by this unwelcome reception.

"Sweetie." Nicole began, her voice almost zombie-like and monotone, "Remember what we did with our last fish?"

Gumball turned to her with a look of surprise, which then morphed into a devilish grin,

"Yeah…" Gumball said, mouth beginning to water.

"Hold him down Gummypuss. Mommy will get the good knife."

Before Darwin could blink, Gumball was in the air, claws unsheathed, kanines bare and ready for attack. Thinking fast, Darwin ran out of his path and up the stairs, heart pounding at an impossible rate. Looking back made him nearly vomit; Gumball was on all fours, scampering up the stairs like a spider approaching its prey, eyes fixed on him. The sound of claws rapidly tapping the stairs were grating.

"Gumball, stop!" Darwin cried as he ran into their bedroom, slamming the door and frantically placing the night stand in front of it.

"Don't let him get away!" Nicole could be heard yelling from downstairs. As if on command, a clawed paw busted through the door, followed by another. The claws retreated, only for the first hole to now show Gumball's primal eyes, an audible growl followed.

"You're mine, Darwin!" Gumball sneered as the door was torn from its hinges in a display of strength that was unreal.

Darwin could only back into a corner as the malicious cat inched ever closer. Seeing a nearby book, and throwing it, managed to disable the preying kitten for only a moment, as Darwin climbed the ladder to the attic, he began to shake the ladder violently.

"Move over real quick, sweetie." Nicole said as she ripped the ladder from its fixture, causing Darwin to flail and barely catch the edge of the opening, climbing into the attic.

"Dammit!" Nicole yelled, "Gumball, hop on."

As Darwin caught his breath, sitting below the attic window, Gumball leapt through the opening, the same demented, determined look never wavering. Landing claws first, Gumball struggled to rip his claws from their embedment into the floor, resuming his methodical prance towards Darwin as he licked his chops.

"Gumball, please…" Darwin began to sob, not seeing a way out. "We're best friends, remember? You're my big brother...I love you... Please don't hurt me...p-please…"

Darwin let out a yelp as one of the claws began to dig into his cheek, Gumballs pupils widening with anticipation. Darwin closed his eyes as tears poured through them, and the pain became ever so real.

Then, it stopped. Darwin could've swore he heard a snapping sound. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Gumball. Eyes normal, expression of concern.

"Aw, crap, are you alright?" Gumball rushed to his side.

"Wait...what?" Darwin's voice was nearly gone. "I thought you were-"

"Look down." Gumball suggested. Doing so, he saw another Gumball, claws unsheathed, its head somehow twisted in a way it shouldn't be.

"Wh-what's going on?" Darwin still was on edge, unsure if this Gumball was going to turn on him too.

"We're in the Void, dude." Gumball replied flatly. "We're in our house floating in a sea of TV staic, mullets and laserdiscs, and I just busted my mom's kneecaps and killed myself. I honestly don't know what anything is right now."

Darwin was speechless, still shaking as Gumball put his arms around him.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, Darwin." Gumball whispered to him, "I promise."

Eventually, they left their embrace, taking some time to catch their breath.

"How did you know I was here?" Darwin asked as Gumball sat beside him.

"I didn't." Gumball answered, "I knew you weren't here."

"Huh?"

"Apparently, when you enter the Void, you're erased from history and existence. At least, that's how it's supposed to work. Anais and I still remembered you though. So...yeah. Here I am."

"What do we do now?"

"I dunno, let's go see if the TV works." Gumball and Darwin got up and nonchalantly walked up to the opening in the attic. The disabled Nicole looking up at them, a growling, hissing sound escaping through her gnashing teeth.

"She's really scary, dude." Darwin shivered.

"Eh, sounds kinda like a constipated gremlin making out with a blender." Gumball repled. "Follow my lead, buddy."

Holding on to the edge and hanging above the upstairs, Gumball swung backwards, falling onto the stairs, and then down them.

"Okay... maybe not!" Gumball called from downstairs.

"Alright," Darwin still shivered as he braced for his fall, "Here's goes nothin'!"

Fortunate for him, his fall consisted of a bounce on Nicole, and a perfect landing on the top step. Looking back to see Nicole still disabled and gnashing, he made his way downstairs to Gumball who was adjusting his back.

"I thought cats always landed on their feet?" Darwin inquired.

"Yeah, well I thought my week couldn't get any worse." Gumball replied, picking up the remote control and turning on the TV. After flipping a few channels, all which looked exactly like the endless static backdrop outside, he sighed.

"Me and my big mouth." Gumball plopped on the couch. Darwin inspecting the TV stand.

"I found a tape!" Darwin exclaimed, pulling the cassette from the shelf. "...It's blank though."

"Who cares? Put the tape in and let's see." Gumball instructed lazily. "Can't be worse tha━Yeah, put it in."

The cassette was inserted and began to set for play as Darwin sat beside Gumball on the couch.

To their horror, they were greeted with a CGI-animated donkey drenched in palette colors and happy-go-lucky xylophone music.

"I'm just not talking anymore." Gumball groaned with his arms crossed.

"Aw come on, it's not that bad." Darwin put an assuring fin on his brother's shoulder.

"Not that bad? Not that bad!?" Gumball complained, "We're stuck in the middle of the Void watching Daisy the Donkey after just escaping zombified versions of some handsome cat and his crazy mother! Nothing is okay about this!"

"You have to just look at the glass half full, Gumball." Darwin smiled, "At least we have each other… Besides, Daisy the Donkey is peaceful, happy escapism; just what I need!"

"What if that glass is broken, and you have shards of it jammed in your side?"

"Gumball, what are you…" Darwin then saw the bits of glass stuck in Gumball's sweater and fur. "Oh."

Gumball sighed as he slumped onto the side of the couch. "Whatever."

* * *

Anais wasn't normally one to be visibly depressed, her empirical and stoic approach to just about everything created a sort of shield against such burdensome emotions. Only in times where her family were in imminent danger did she shed a tear or two, or if she was subjected to public humiliation; as she learned a few days ago. Now though, she was alone. Gumball having been the next victim of the uncaring ways of the Void left her by herself, unsure of where to go or what to do.

There was some escapism from her sour mood, brought about by a curiosity. Gumball was for sure trapped in the Void, this much she knew; she saw it with her own eyes. By that alone, it would make sense _she_ would remember him; but unlike when Darwin was expelled, traces of Gumball's life were untouched. Pictures, possessions, products of his existence, all remained as they had before he was disappeared. As if she needed any further proof, she was now in the backseat of the Watterson station wagon, Nicole lead footing through the streets and backroads of Elmore, determined to give her runaway son the what for and how come.

It began when Nicole rushed up stairs following the closure of the vortex that had sucked Gumball into the depths of the Void. All the furniture and items had settled, strewn about, with a horrified Anais standing in the doorway.

"Young lady, what is the meaning of this?" Nicole's voice frightened Anais who looked up to see her mother, very much upset.

"I...don't even know where to begin." Anais still in shock and disbelief at what she had just seen.

"Don't get smart with me, Anais. What happened?" It was now that Anais realized she was in the eye of the storm. Something which caught her off guard.

"You remember you have a son, right?" Anais had to know.

"What do you mean? Of course I do! I also have a daughter, who I know has some idea as to why her brother's room is trashed and there's a giant hole in the wall!"

Anais looked at the gaping hole in the drywall, exposing the studs, some electrical networking, and insulation. the floor below the opening was covered in paint chips and dust.

Nicole was growing frustrated with Anais's stalling, grabbing the bunny by the cheeks. "Your brother has some serious explaining to do! Now tell me where he is before mommy gets _very_ angry."

"I...don't know how to explain…"

"Very well then, Anais." Nicole sighed, grabbing her daughter's paw. "If you can't tell me, then you'll show me!"

Anais winced as her mother's vice grip showed no mercy.

"Come on Richard!" Nicole shouted point-blank to the much larger rabbit who startled from his slumber on the couch. "We're going to find our son."

Strapped in; buckled, a not an iota wiser on the strangeness of the present, Anais tried her best to put together how any of right now was possible. The only possible theory her mind would accept, was that somehow, an event in the Void itself somehow released strands of its expulsions; perhaps Gumball's tearing of its fold had something to do with it?

All of it just sounded incredibly moronic and nonsensical, even against everything that had happened thus far. Anais figured though, her mother's one-track vehicular warpath could, if she was smart about it, give her some time to think; and, best case scenario, get in touch with the one person she knew could help her.

"Anais!" The kit was startled from her thoughts by her mother who glared at her through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah?"

"What's the name of that friend you two went to see? That emo girl."

"Carrie?"

Much to her surprise, logic seemed to be the last thing on Nicole's mind; Anais could swear she saw steam fuming from her mother's nostrils as she gripped the steering wheel, followed by a sharp left that whiplashed the poor bunny.

Everything outside her window became a blur as the was jerked left, right, forward; the rev of the cars engine becoming very pronounced as their course continued.

"I swear, my son has the weirdest taste in women." Anais could hear Nicole remark, "An antlered peanut, and now a emo ghost."

The frantic driving came to an abrupt halt as Nicole drifted into a parallel park, half the car certainly on the sidewalk. Before Anais could breath a sigh of relief, she was grabbed by the paw and as she made her way around the car, she could indeed see they had made it.

Anais's mind worked a million miles per hour as she thought of how to handle this, her mother furiously marching down the walkway and up the porch, opting to slam the door several times as opposed to using the door handle. Her pounding was answered by a very annoyed-looking Carrie.

"Yeah?" The ghost practically muttered.

"Young lady, I don't suppose you know where my son happens to be right now? I was told by my daughter that he might be with you."

Peeking around the adult cat, Carrie's eyes widened some seeing Anais, assuming this was no doubt about Darwin. Her eyes began to dart around wildly.

"Uh… No." Carrie hurriedly shut the door.

"Hey!" Nicole grew very angry. "That is no way to speak to an adult, I demand to speak with your parents!" Nicole's pounding on the door resumed again.

"Open this door!" Her screams became shrill. "Don't make me open it myself!"

Growing tired from the hollering, Nicole turned to the car.

"Richard, come here!" Nicole ordered her husband who promptly obeyed.

"Yes ma'm!" Richard saluted.

Nicole grabbed Richard, turning him sideways and backing up slowly. Anais, finally free of her mother's grip watched from the side of the porch as her father was used as a battering ram.

"Psst!" A loud whisper caught Anais's attention, turning to see Carrie floating behind her.

"Sorry about….that." Anais motioned to her mother who didn't seemed to be making any progress, still ramming her husband's head in the door.

"No prob', you wanna come inside?"

"Sure." Anais looked back one last time at her mother's continued assault on Carrie's front door before she suddenly found herself in the home's study. A rather impressive, if dusty and dim room of towering bookshelves and some chairs, all matching the desaturated victorian and gothic decor the rest of the home was known for.

"So I see Gumball followed Darwin into the Void." Carrie began as she floated towards a bookshelf.

"Yeah, he did." Anais confirmed, still hearing the faint pounding against the door which rattled the walls only slightly.

"I still remember him." Carrie noted as she opened a hardback red book with pages brittle and discolored with age. "That isn't supposed to happen."

"I know, that's what confuses me." Anais hung her head, "The only reason we remember Darwin, is because we saw him...Gumball…"

"Somehow managed to avoid being removed from this dimension." Carrie finished her sentence, "He wasn't by chance wearing a tinfoil hat, was he?"

"That's a serious question?" Anais skewed an eyebrow of suspicion. As Carrie opened her mouth to respond, a loud crashing sound startled them both. It appeared as if Nicole had finally barged through the door. Using her bare paws to tear the remaining pieces of wood from its frame.

"Gumball Tristopher, come out this instant!" Her faint yelling sent a chill down Anais's spine. The two watched as Nicole rummaged through the downstairs, hurling furniture, kitchenware, all manner of things with an absurd strength.

"Uh, is that your mom?" Carrie asked, half bewildered, half terrified.

"I'm afraid so." Anais answered quietly, face flush with embarrassment.

"Wow…" Carrie sighed, "She's one crazy bitch."

Suddenly, Nicole stopped just before the doorway, turning to seemingly face the two, her eyes yellow and primal.

"Nope." With a flash, Carrie quickly warped the two to her bedroom. The sound of a stampeding Nicole could be heard down below.

"We don't have much time to waste. The Void has many ways of trapping people in, assuming they've made it past the first trial, rumor has it they will soon face The Black."

"The black?" Anais wondered as she watched Carrie assemble the same occult arrangements that she had seen prior to her possession.

"It's a wave of total darkness that slowly consumes you, kind of like termites on rotten wood."

"How do we even know where to find them, anyway?" Anais grew worried now, picturing her two brothers fleeing or cowering as The Black slowly encircled them.

"That's the tricky part. No one quite knows how the Void is mapped out, some rumors say that it's a 1:1 copy of Elmore; Gumball could have very well landed on a Void version of your house. Darwin? I can't be too sure. Ghosts aren't affected by the Void like mortals are."

Carrie finally began to light the candles circling the soon-to-be vortex and turned to Anais.

"Which is why you will go first."

"Wh-what? Why?" Anais found herself suddenly spooked.

"Duh, because if you go first, the Void might take us to where your brothers could be. I can't teleport there, and GPS isn't a thing, so we need to be as close as we can theoretically get."

"Are you certain this will work, Carrie?" Anais timidly stepped towards the enclosure.

"As certain as you'll be toast if you mom touches any of my shit." Carrie winked with a wry smile.

Anais could only laugh uncomfortably as she watched the vortex take shape, with the portal appearing slightly after.

Before she could look back, she was pushed into the portal, arms flailing wildly as she screamed, a seemingly endless drop awaited her.


	10. The Found: Part lll

When one rides a roller coaster, as it climbs the first ascent before the initial drop, there's a buildup of anticipation; your grip on the safety latch may tighten, your heart may palpate, excitement may course through your veins; then it hits. Your stomach jumps into your throat, the wind hits your face, and excitement follows.

Though, a rollercoaster doesn't last forever, and assuming its of sound construction, your drop won't be an eternal, gut-wrenching descent into a bottomless void of TV static, littered with monochrome relics of a forgotten past.

Anais wasn't a fan of roller coasters. How Gumball managed to not only endure those death traps, let alone have affinity for them, had always been well out of her comprehension. About ten minutes into her fall into nothing, she also learned that she wasn't too big a fan of The Void either. Or Carrie. It was a mix of the worst-case skydiving accident, and a reminder that rabbits did not have thick fur; the relentless cold air pushing against her was frigid and rough.

So suffice to say, she was of mixed feelings when she finally met the ground which felt like artificial turf. Slowly raising her head, followed by finding her footing after a short yet sickening spell of dizziness. Before her, was a replica of her home, absent the world around it. It sat against the same TV static that served as the sky of this strange realm; and floated on what looked like a patch of grass torn from the ground by a dislocated yard sign.

Turning back to Carrie who had floated down behind her, she mustered a face that couldn't be mistake for anything but the utmost contempt and disgust.

"Next time, warn me before doing that." Anais growled.

"We made it, didn't we?" Carrie replied stoically.

"We'll see…" Anais cautioned as the two made their way to the front porch. The two couldn't see through the windows as the lights inside were off, nor did much exist outside.

Darwin had been watching Gumball sleep on the opposite end of the couch for the better part of an hour. The gray screen and dull tone of the cassette wasn't of much impedance it seemed. Still very much afraid from the nightmarish confrontation with Void Gumball and Void Nicole very fresh in his mind, he could only envy his older brother in his ability to find enough calm and comfort to sprawl out on the edge of a couch in the middle of an endless dimension of monochrome desolation.

He very much considered rewinding and rewatching _Daisy the Donkey presents: The Magic of Friendship_ , but that ran the risk of Gumball waking up with the impression that Darwin actually found it enjoyable; the last thing he wanted to happen. Instead, Darwin decided to get up off the couch, carefully so as not to disturb the sleeping cat. He then made his way behind the couch, and stood at the base of the stairs. Looking upward, a he felt a large chill coarse through is being. The "Niccole" they had encountered earlier, was nowhere to be found. He stared for a moment, ensuring his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Once he confirmed this wasn't the case, panic set in.

First, came the blood-curdling scream, the hectic scaling of the back of the couch, and the thud into the center cushion. Panting wildly, he shook Gumball with intensity.

"Gumball! Gumball! She's gone!" Darwin was practically screaming. "She's gone, Gumball! You gotta get up!"

It took a few repetitions of this for Gumball to slowly stir awake, looking very annoyed,

"Dude...really?" Gumball leered at the fish who was on top of him. "What do you want?"

"Gumball, the—she—it—we—AAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Darwin's hyperventilation coupled with his stutter was rather irritating to Gumball.

"Get back to me when you can form a complete sentence, man. I'm trying to sleep."

"How the heck can you sleep? We're trapped in the Void, dude! Who knows what kind of scary monsters and demons are out there?"

Gumball sighed, body giving up on returning to its peaceful slumber. "They aren't in here, are they?"

"No...but…"

Gumball's voice was confident, "Relax, Darwin. How long have I been out, like, an hour? Only thing that's happened, is you being a wuss and waking me up for no reason."

Darwin sat back on the couch, calming himself down while Gumball stretched his paws and let out a yawn.

"I'm sorry, Gumball." Darwin hung his head, "I'm just really scared."

Gumball pat the fish on the head. "I thought you were the one who said to look on the bright side of things. Now it's my job? Why don't you chill with Daisy, and I'll go check out the upstairs."

Gumball attempted many times to turn on the TV, to no avail. His furious, almost destructive mashing of remote keys then devolved into smacking and kicking the set from the side, ripping a knob's face off, and yelling various expletives.

"Why doesn't the TV work?" Darwin's eyes went wide with fear.

"It is a pretty old TV." Gumball reasoned, "Probably just kicked the bucket."

Then the power was cut.

"Okay… Can't quite explain that one." Gumball could feel sweat along his brow.

Then came a forceful knock at the door.

The two shared a loud, feminine scream, with Gumball scampering into the kitchen, finding and brandishing a butcher knife.

"What...what was that?" Darwin said trembling, tears in his eyes.

An equally shaking Gumball cautiously approached the door, each knock jarring him nearly to his rear.

"Stand back, Darwin!" Gumball tried his best to sound composed and combat ready. Knowing full well he was the exact opposite.

The next knock caused him to snap. Sprinting towards the door, eyes closed, screaming at the top of his lungs, he threw the door open and hurled the knife forward at full force like a dart.

The good news, his aim was terrible.

He opened his eyes to see Anais. Her face still pale from fear, her expression twisted into anger.

"What is _wrong_ with you?!" Anais shouted. "That could've killed me you half-wit!"

"Sorry, thought you were a monster or something." Gumball shrugged.

"Idiot." Anais grimaced, pushing past her brother as she made her way inside..

"Wow...thanks, Anais." Gumball muttered.

"Darwin, I'm so sorry!" Anais apologized as she hugged the fish, "I promise to never let my jealousy get the best of me like that, ever again."

"You guys have anything happen yet?" Carrie asked.

"Yeah! At first, I came in here and thought I was all alone… then, "Gumball" and "Niccole" appeared. A-and, Gumball was all scared like, 'What, how are you still alive!' and I was like, 'What are you talking about dude, we're bros!'—"

"Did that Gumball throw a knife at you, too?" Anais quipped, still very upset.

" No—and Niccole was like, _'I'll get the knife Gumball, hold him down!'_ and then it chased me up into the attic, and scratched me and was gonna eat me-then, _snap!_ Gumball, this one, was all intense and knocks out both Nicole _and_ his clone!.. The real Gumball saved me!"

"Aw shucks, it was nothin'." Gumball waved a dismissive paw, basking in praise.

"Probably luck." Anais muttered. "You have the aim and coordination of a blind pug having a seizure."

"Hey, I said I was sorry!" Gumball pouted.

"Look," Carrie drifted between the fuming rabbit and cat. "As amusing as it is to watch a 12-year old pick a fight with his preschool sister, we have some work to do. You guys seemed to have survived the First Wave... which is good."

"F—First wave? There's more?" Darwin asked, eyes wide.

"Legend has it, the Void has two Waves of trials that keep its captives trapped." Carrie explained, "The first is your worst fear. Darwin, since you were here first, it created a Gumball and Niccole which tried to dismember and eat you...I guess."

" _My_ worst fear just got here and has an attitude." Gumball wore a smug smile, not needing to look to see the rabbit's ice-cold glare.

"I guess that makes sense." Darwin continued, ignoring Gumball's jest. "So who's next then?"

"Beats me." Carrie shrugged.

"What?!" Darwin shrieked. "How do you know the first one, but not the second one! What do we do?"

"Anais decided to bring your folks over to trash my house." Carrie had a sardonic smile, "Couldn't get much reading done with mom of the year going ape shit."

"Nice one, Anais." Gumball spat, only to be promptly kicked in the shin. "Hey! Don't kick me you little brat!"

"Quit being a jerk then you bird-brained imbecile!" Anais shouted right back.

"G-guys!" Darwin croaked. Both Gumball and Anais turning to look in the direction he pointed, a mass of darkness, almost fog-like quickly poured into and enshrouded the kitchen, washing towards them.

Carrie was the first out the front door, Darwin scrambling behind; Gumball flanked them by a good distance, having to yank Anais from her frozen fear, slinging her over his shoulder and quickly catching up. Neither bothered to notice that the front door no longer led outside; panting and slumped against lockers, they found themselves in a dark hallway of Elmore Junior High.

"Where are we?" Darwin asked.

"We're at school, Darwin." Anais replied.

"I know that, but.." Darwin looked around, the hall looked normal; with the only illumination coming from windows and exit signs.

Gumball turned his attention to Carrie who hovered in front of the front window of their house, whose entrance lacked the porch, and now just looked as if it was a decorated wall of the school. He walked up to her, looking into the now empty house.

"What do you think that was?" Gumball asked, startling Carrie. "Sorry."

"The Black." Carrie answered, "Another one of the Trials if I remember correctly."

"Oh hey, so we're halfway done then? Nice!" Gumball grinned, raising his hand for a high five.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Carrie replied impassively, ignoring his offer, "We didn't actually _defeat_ it, we only escaped it… for now."

"Oh, well, so much for optimism, huh?" Gumball deadpanned.

"It's the Void, Gumball." Carrie replied. "This is the last place to be optimistic."

Gumball slid his hand down his face. "Of all the times for you to channel your inner emo…"

"While you waste your time being optimistic, I'm going to go see if the library has anything of use." Carrie floated down the hall, Gumball slowly following her; annoyed by her gloomy demeanor.

Anais walked along the hallway, inspecting lockers of which she knew the owner. Gumball's, Darwin's, all were empty. Coming towards the end of another group of lockers, she looked up and saw artificial light pouring through the window of a nearby classroom door. Peering through the window, she saw within a science lab, a certain blue egg sitting at a desk, seemingly working on a paper for the Physics Club.

"Huh?" Anais found herself perplexed, nonetheless, opening the door, immediately getting Billy's attention.

"Ah, Anais, so good to see you again." The egg greeted, his accent familiar and comforting to the rabbit.

"Boy, is it a relief to see you here," Anais began, relieved. "I know if we put our two minds together, we'll be sure to get us out of here!"

Anais felt an odd sensation about her, as suddenly, the lights went out. Billy's face morphing from a warm smile, to an acidic grim.

"Together…" Billy muttered, "Together, you say?"

"Uh… Yeah." Anais was unsure of his angle, only when the door slammed shut behind her, did the wheels in her brain spin to a realization that left her body cold.

"I believe it was you Anais, who so tactlessly deserted me, recklessly discarding my love on the basis of my acute disdain for a fictional donkey..."

Anais was speechless, she ran to the door, trying furiously to move the handle, but it wouldn't budge. She turned to see Billy was but feet from her, now holding a Daisy the Donkey doll; very clearly hers, the wear and condition of it undeniably born of her ownership alone.

Extending its pull string, the voice box within sounded, the white noise simply a low fidelity recreation of the noise which enveloped this world. Then it spoke, like a decades-old doll with a bent circuit.

"Why don't you love me, Anais?" The doll's voice glitched between the demonic pitch and distortion, to its regular sound; causing Anais to get goosebumps.

"You don't care about us, Anais." The doll continued, the pull string did not recess, yet the doll continued to speak as Billy now walked down behind a row of lab desks, approaching a bunsen burner.

"What...what did you do to Daisy?" Anais panicked.

"Oh Anais, of course it was I who inflicted such torment upon her, it isn't as if you seem to have social impediments that could be worth mentioning." Billy sported a toothy grin as the doll was held above the bunsen burner, the sound of the gas line hissing.

"NO! DAISY!" Anais sprinted towards billy, left arm readied to rescue her beloved doll.

"I'm afraid she won't be needing you any longer." Billy laughed, the doll suddenly bursting into flames. "As you can see dear, no flint is required for our fire, this flame is powered by the sorrow in which you have inflicted upon me. It is only you who is to blame, Anais."

Anais's sprint halted as she felt her stomach turn, the air growing frigid and humid; all sound ceased as the inflamed doll's embers turned green. Billy opened his mouth as if her were the shout, the flames suddenly surging into him. the doll being vaporized in the process. The egg then glowed with a green aura as the white noise against a hum which reminded one of a power transformer; amplified from silence, to nearly deafening. Billy's voice now was a composite of various glitchy sounds, consisting of speech fragments, ambiance, all manner of mechanic noise, much like her doll.,

Anais was horrified. First backing away slowly as the egg approached her, then noticing that on top of the noise, the deformation; Billy appeared to be growing in size. Approaching her slowly, menacingly.

"GUMBALL!" Anais shrieked as she ran to the opposite side of the room, "CARRIE!". She panted as she stood behind the pulpit, watching as Billy now stood still at the back of the class.

"Anais..." Billy said amongst the glitching noise and cuts. "I'm afraid it is now time for you to depart this world, it is the only good you have left to do."

Billy's tiny hands slowly compressed and crushed the lab table as it it were but cardboard Then, as the wad of wood and countertop was tossed aside like paper, he lept in the air, and honed in on his prey like a hawk; grabbing Anais, and throwing her to the the floor where the desk once was. The hurl was forceful and alarming. Anais struggled to get to her feet, only to be sent backwards into a wall by a powerful impact to her face.

Scrambling along the perimeter of the room, Anais quickly gassed and lit a bunsen burner, the flame seemingly repelling the approaching monster. To her horror, this defense was extinguished as the flame was siphoned away as the one that evaporated her beloved toy.

Anais once again was sent airborne, only to be body-slammed into another desk, her yelp of pain making her disadvantage very clear. Tears began to form and fall as she watched Billy tower over her, eyes burning with rage.

"How does it feel to have your treatment of others inflicted upon you?" Billy asked maniacally. His voice remained as natural and level as ever. "Do you now see the error of your ways; the futility of such disregard for the feelings of others?"

Even if Anais wanted to hear him, she could not, as the only sound she heard was a dull ringing in her ears. If she wished to apologize; make peace, she was unable to do so, as she was paralyzed by fear.

"Well, I do suppose I have done enough for the time being." Billy kept his sadistic face as he stepped back from his victim. "Perhaps that God the laymen speak of can talk some sense into you, Though I doubt tha—" His banter was cut off as a gas line was shoved into his mouth, tackled to the ground by an orange blur that appeared only for an instant.

By the time Billy flung Anais off with his foot, it was too late. Darwin then grabbed Anais, lumbered over the desk and out the door, and the two dropped to the floor and covered their heads as they first felt, and then heard the tremendous explosion that followed. Debris and dust blowing in all directions as the seismic shock tore through the school.

As the fire alarm sounded, sprinklers quickly displaced the cloud of dust which had formed. They saw nothing but a smoldering crater, the cabinets, desks, all of the room was trashed and mangled. However, their fear quickly returned as she noticed that Billy was no longer there.

Anais's ears caught the faint sound of someone running in the hall. "There!" It was Anais's turn to grab Darwin's paw as she ran down the halls after the shadow. They followed it past lockers, in an out of rooms, before finding themselves in the gymnasium.

Panting and tired, the two stood in the doorway as they caught their breath. They lost the shadow at some point; Anais swore up and down that it was Billy.

"How the heck did he survive that blast?" Darwin wheezed.

"The same way he got here in the first place…" Anais frowned, "I don't know any more than you do." Anais watched her brother who seemed more than winded. Opting to sit on the hardwood floor as he continued to catch his breath. Oddly, Anais seemed unscathed, despite being battered, bruised, and bleeding but minutes ago. Adding to the list of things she couldn't possibly explain.

"Darwin," Anais said softly as she sat beside her adopted brother. "Thanks for saving me back there."

It took Darwin some time to reply, waiting for enough air in his lungs to take properly.

"Hey, you'd do the same for me right?"

"Of course." Anais replied.

"I wonder where Carrie and Gumball went." Darwin wondered aloud.

This thought made Anais worry a little. "I hope they're okay."

"I'm sure they're fine!" Darwin said with an assuring smile, patting the little rabbit on the head with his fin, "Look at you. Even if they get knocked around, doesn't look like it matters."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Darwin." Anais cautioned, "There's a lot we don't understand about this place. For all we know, my recovery could be luck."

"What's wrong with being optimistic?" Darwin asked as the two made their way towards the library.

"It's one thing to be optimistic and keep a positive demeanor," Anais answered, "It's quite another to cast the reality of our situation off to the side for the sake of futile idealism."

Darwin blinked a few times, not sure if admitting he was lost on her words was a good idea. "Uh...okay. That makes sense."

Had one asked Carrie how much time she had spent furiously examining the contents of her haphazard pile of books in a desperate search to end this ridiculous situation; versus staring longingly, almost hungrily at the sweatered blue cat who seemed lost in the view of the Void from a nearby window, she would promptly tell you to mind your own business, praying to a false god Gumball wouldn't hear a word of the exchange.

What investment she did make in her scholastic endeavor produced nothing helpful or useful. She could assert the Void, somehow sentient, was careful to discard any literature or record that would enlighten and empower its captives to escape; dwelling on such conspiracies was a waste of time. Though, it seemed that dwelling on the prospect of being more than a friend to the mischievous tom was anything but.

Gumball seemed to notice Carrie's change in focus. Be it the faint reflection of the ghost in the window, or, the lack of page-turning, mumbling, or any sound that would indicate a book was being utilized in any way.

"You figure out anything?" Gumball asked, once again causing the ghost to flinch.

Carrie was half irritated by being startled so easily, and half flustered at the utterance of her name by that voice she loved so much. Neither of these feelings helped her answer come out any smoother.

"N-no. I, uh, haven't found anything yet." Carrie could feel her cheeks burn against a wave of relief. Gumball's face all but indicated he wasn't the least bit intuitive to what she was hiding.

"Well, we've been here for awhile now," Gumball stood up and yawned. "We should probably go check on my sister and Darwin."

The mention of those names seemed to snap Carrie out of her trance. "Wait, they didn't come with us?"

Gumball seemed the least bit worried. "Well, no–" His eyes went wide as he was grabbed by the scruff.

"What kind of brother are you?" Carrie scolded her admiration, "Leaving them along in the Void, are you mad?"

"Oh come on," Gumball easily freed himself from Carrie's grip as he walked casually towards the library doors. "Anais can take care of herself. She's like my mom, just… smaller….and a rabbit. She can be kind of scary sometimes."

Carrie found herself somewhat bewildered by Gumball's indifference to the whereabouts of his younger siblings.

"You can't be serious, right?" Carrie scoffed, "She's four! If some well-traveled explorer barely made it out of here alive, what makes you think your little brother and sister can?"

Gumball found himself a bit annoyed, "Pretty sure it was you who who made a beeline for the library; didn't bother inviting Anais. She really likes you, you know?"

"She does have a point, Gumball." Anais and Darwin, soot-covered and fur matted in various places, scowled at their older brother who could only cringe with discomfort.

Gumball's eyes darted back and forth between the fish and the rabbit who both kept their irritated gaze upon him. "So…" Gumball began as if he were breaking the ice with a girl he just met, "How, uh, you guys doing good? You guys look...rough."

Anais made no hesitation in yanking her brother down to eye level, using her paws to clench his sweater collar, yanking him down with ferocity.

"What do you think?" Anais simmered, "I would have been annihilated if it wasn't for Darwin, who I guess is the only one capable of playing the part of a responsible sibling!" One could swear they could just make out the calcium of her teeth being worn from how tightly she clenched them, words barely escaping what openings existed.

"Yeah Gumball, I gotta say, you kind of dropped the ball," Darwin added, voice calm but by no means any less perturbed and disappointed. "Didn't you promise you wouldn't let us get hurt?" Darwin turned to show a very visible burn mark on his flipper, "Don't make a promise you can't keep, dude."

Anais finally released her brother who found it difficult to make eye contact with either of them; instead opting to see Carrie's flat and condescending face out of his periphery. The ghost in question, along with the kit and the goldfish waited for the eldest of the party to explain himself. Not interested in waiting for hell to freeze over, Carrie cleared her throat, getting the others' attention.

"So, it looks like we've taken care of both Darwin and Anais," Carrie explained, "Now, we have one more to deal with. You." Gumball quarter-turned his head to see a ghostly fin directed at him.

"Hey Anais," Carrie asked, "Who exactly did you face?"

"Billie." Anais answered, still casting a glare at Gumball. "He became some psycho-possessed demon and tried to finish me off. _Thankfully, Darwin_ was there to aid me at the last second. Unlike _someone..._ "

"Oh my god, we get it!" Gumball barked. "I messed up, I was irresponsible. Great, good, understood; can we cut the crap and just get this over with?"

"Fair enough." Carrie sighed. "Do you have any idea who we might deal with? If anyone knows your worst fear...I would hope it would be you."

Gumball took some time to work that through his noggin, visibly putting some effort into thinking of what, or who he possibly could be afraid of.

"Spiders." Gumball answered flatly. "I hate spiders."

"Right…" Carrie clearly unsatisfied with this answer, "If Darwin dealt with you and your mom, and Anais fought a kid at school that messes with her; I would imagine we'd have to assume your trial will be similar."

"...and that means?" Gumball found himself a bit aloft.

" _Who_ are you afraid of?" Anais asked, frustrated.

"You." Gumball muttered.

Carrie groaned with unmistakable agitation. Grabbing Gumball's cheeks and squishing them together forcefully.

 _If it wasn't for your looks and your charm, I would've cast you to the darkest depths of underworld by now_... Carrie thought to herself before facing Gumball who flinched upon eye contact, "We don't have time for you and the kid to take swipes at each other alright? Take a good, hard look at everyone you know; is there anyone, in any way, no matter how small, that seriously frighten you?"

"No!" Gumball pulled Carrie's hands off his face. "How about we quit focusing on the fear factor, and just try to get out of here?"

Anais, Carrie, and Darwin shared a glance to one another, deciding it was best to give Gumball what he wanted, and they wordlessly made their way to the double doors, only to realize they were locked.

"Okay guys, very funny." Gumball said, annoyed.

"Uh Gumball, this isn't us." Anais's voice trembled a bit, her eyes fixed on a frightening sight before her.

Gumball to whirl around to see a colossal arachnid he knew all too well, much larger than it should be, towering behind him, fangs dripping with venom it shouldn't have.

Gumball soiled himself immediately.

Gumball yelped as he was yanked by a sprinting Darwin, barely missing the stab of a leg that would have surely killed him. The quartet were now on the retreat, blistering down the aisles of bookshelves which soon after were tossed about by the angry spider as it chased its feline prey.

Quick thinking and fast action lead them to a part of the library obscured by a wall, which seemed to confuse the spider as it stormed back towards the door on the hunt.

"You just _had_ to say 'spider', didn't you?" Anais grumbled.

"Carrie asked me a question!" Gumball defended, "Damned if I do; damned it I don't."

"So...what do we do about it?" Darwin was shivering, checking every other second around the corner to see if the eight-legged freak had noticed the obstruction.

"You must know something about the spider." Carrie had that same fixed gaze Gumball didn't like.

"Yeah, his name is Mr. Cuddles. He's Penny's pet tarantula, and he hates me."

"Anything unusual?" Carrie followed.

"Yeah!" Gumball replied, "He's like, a thousand times as big here as he is in reality!"

"Wonderful." Anais sighed, "We're locked in a library with a giant tarantula. I can't think of anything here that would help us kill it."

The four resigned conversation for a bit to listen to the angry insect rampage through the library. Seeming to take its time Anais noticed Gumball seemed to be thinking, and thinking hard. Seeing his downward gaze suddenly jolt to excitement.

"I got it!" Gumball shouted, being shushed angrily by the others who waited to hear the spider's path before turning to him again.

"Shout so loud the spider will find us and kill us?" Darwin hissed.

"No, stupid." Gumball snapped back. "I know a way we can get out of here."

"You do realize we have to kill the spider, right?" Carrie questioned.

Gumball let out a frustrated exhale. "Maybe if you didn't interrupt me and let me finish what I was sayi—" His rebuke was interrupted by a hiss that was way too close for comfort.

Before he could even turn to see the hungry eyes of his predator, he was pushed into a shelf, a giant spider leg once again missing him by mere inches as it shot into an adjacent bookshelf, splitting the wooden assembly in half; books of various girth tumbling about.

Anais squealed as she was grabbed by someone, and quickly was situated several yards behind where the spider seemed stuck.

The spider struggled some to free its leg from the debris, coming to attention as he heard a whistle. Looking down, he saw but Gumball and Anais, standing in the center of the computer lab, Gumball staring straight at him.

"It's me you're after, huh Cuddles?" Gumball was very much afraid, but adrenaline seemed to keep any visible fright in check. Nonetheless his voice did shake a bit. "Then come get me you freak!" Making a raspberry before he darted down the library once more, this time set on a destination. Carrie, and Darwin watched from the door in confusion and concern as they watched the two leap over desks, sprint around in circles, aggravating the spider immensely; taunting him all the while.

"What's the matter, slowpoke?" Gumball teased as they dodged two impalements as he rolled under a desk and shot out towards the back of the library again.

"Please tell me this is part of some grand plan you have…" Anais panted as they now ran towards the doors again. The spider now hissing in anger as it sped towards them.

"See that vent cover over there?" Gumball pointed to a ventilation cover by the door. "Open it. Crawl inside and don't look back."

"Wait..wha—" Anais was once again pushed, this time towards the door in question. Without a word, she began to yank at the metal fixture, Darwin rushing to help her. After several seconds of furious prying, it came loose enough for the three to shoot inside the shaft and get a good distance down the shaft.

"What about Gumball?!" Darwin panicked.

Gumball was now brandishing a chair, swinging it at Mr. Cuddles to rouse the monster, he then scampered to the wall near the vent cover. Taking a hearty swing with the chair at the wall, he revealed a water pipe which immediately sent water surging into the library. The sound and sight of the leak stunned the spider, and gave Gumball time to squeeze into the shaft. Water very quickly flooded the room as the torrent of water poured in, beginning to flood the shaft as well.

Anais and company watched from a higher corridor as water began to enter and rise, no sign of their brother and friend.


	11. The Escape

_**A/N:** How about this, huh? You can thank the distraction-free writing in nano for this. All hail the CLI. Comments (more than 1 word ;p), criticism, etc in the comments. Thanks for sticking around. :)_

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Gumball couldn't say he was fond of crawling around a ventilation shaft network, but it had to be done. Much to his dismay, his plan from earlier had him in the rear of the single-file line as they caught their breath; the sound of rushing water, and a very angry Mr. Cuddles reverbing through the metal shaft labyrinth.

"Pretty crazy huh?" Gumball wore a smug smile, clearly proud of himself for outwitting the angry arachnid.

"I'll remind myself to congratulate you when we get out of here." Carrie deadpanned.

Gumball had his eyes towards the downward shaft which he had but moments ago, scrambled to climb for safety, taking in the sounds of his frustrated predator. His zoning-out was brought to a quick end as he felt some tremendous wrap around him. Looking to the source, he saw a pink rabbit, her head buried in his side.

"Man, you sure scare easily sometimes, don't you?" Gumball teased as he put his left arm around his sister who briefly lifted her head and gaze to shoot a glare at her brother's quip, quickly returning to safety, the softness of his fur, and the warmth of his sweater was soothing to the frightened rabbit.

"Hey!" Darwin found himself oddly put off by this uncanny scene. "I thought you were mad at him?"

Anais's frustrated face turned to Darwin, brought forth by once again having to abandon her smother. "Of course I am." She grimaced, "But..." For whatever reason, she couldn't explain her subconscious decision either. It seemed in her mind, that she simply gravitated to the next of kin in times of distress. Apparently, Darwin's adoptive status excluded him from that instinctual whitelist of 'kin'. Convinced her time for burying her head and trembling in fear was done for the time being, the three prepared to crawl down the darkness.

"I'll go ahead and see if I can find an opening to the hallway." Carrie announced as she floated into the darkness.

"I got a question." Darwin asked, facing Anais. "Why can't she just float through the walls?"

Anais put a paw to her chin in thought. "I remember her saying there were certain ghost powers that are voided in the... Void." Anais recalled, "I think teleporting and moving through walls and floors is among a few."

"I wish I could at least float." Darwin pouted. "You guys at least have arms and paws, my fins are already throbbing from crawling, and we've only been in here for a few minutes!"

Gumball and Anais both seemed to not care much. "You're not allowed to whine." Gumball jest, "You're in the front. Now let's get a move on already!"

With that, Darwin, followed by Anais, then Gumball; made their way in the direction Carrie went. For a few minutes, the rout was simple enough: no forks, no dead-ends or detours, it was a zig-zagged straight shot. One thing did stall them though about three minutes in. A horrific smell of ungodly measure.

Darwin was quick to respond in repulsion. "YUCK!" he dramatically put a fin over his nonexistent nose. "What IS that?"

"More like who." GUmball added, "Also, I thought you didn't have a nose."

"Well, I do but I don't." Darwin explained. "But right now, I wish you were right!"

Noticing the youngest of the trio was silent, Gumball's face turned smug as he playfully nudged his sister who flinched.

"Did Baby Anais make a boom boom?" Gumball cooed.

It was impossible for her face to get any more red. "N-No!" She kept her eyes away from both of them.

"Whoever denies it, supplies it." Gumball cackled. "Man, that's bad. You better be wearing a diaper."

Anais's lack of a response seemed to indicate two things: One, she was going to make Gumball pay for his pestering when she was a of a more sanitary state, and two, she indeed was; though she wasn't about to explain why. The last thing she needed was Gumball razzle her about wetting the bed at four years old.

"Guys, over here!" Carrie floated over to the three from a nearby turn, quickly plugging her nose as well. "WHoa, who nuked their pants?"

"It's baby Ani-is~" Gumball sang his jest, dodging a rabbit foot to the face.

"Stop it!" Anais was on the verge of tears as Darwin's snickering was anything but discrete.

"I found a way into the hallway, come on!" Carrie grew frustrated with the distraction piece.

"Thank goodness." Darwin still had fits of snickering, "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Right there with ya buddy," GUmball laughed, pushing his sister to move. "Come on stinky, let's go."

A few more minutes down the maze of tunneling lead them to a vent cover that indeed was situated over the hallway. GUmball squeezing to the front, getting on one side of the cover, with Darwin on the other; the two slammed the door with the feet, slowly methodically, loosening its bolts until it fell to the floor; the tree bipedals dropping down on top of it with a clank. Upon stepping on the floor, Gumball noticed it was covered in a fine film of water.

"Looks like this whole place is flooding." Carrie noted.

"No joke." Gumball added, before wincing in pain as a he took a punch to his gut. He knew very well who was responsible, and was sure to look daggers at her as she glared at him.

"That's what you get for being a jerk!" Anais scoffed. Face still a shade saturated.

"Whatever," Gumball turned in the direction of the library. "Let's just get this over with."

"Good, show I say, good show!" Came an accented voice, "I see you fine chaps have endured. I must admit, I'm in awe, really." Anais went rigid as the elder three turned to see the maniacal blue egg, very much ready and able to give them trouble.

"Again?" Darwin grimace. Gumball said nothing as he entered a fighting stance, ready to send this juvenile into the ground.

"Gumball is it?" Billie flashed a toothy grin. "I suppose you anticipate a duel." His smile and his eyes morphed into something truly sickening. "I wouldn't be so brazen, boy; You see, I too have reinforcements."

First they heard it, then they saw it, the mass of bottomless black oozed into view like a spilled can of paint. It's audible production reminded one of a swarm of bees.

"Onward my cohorts!" Billie laughed maniacally as he directed the mass which quickly surged towards Gumball and company.

Not wasting any time, Anais was yanked, this time by Gumball, as he and Darwin rushed down the hall at lightning speed; the pursuant darkness only a few steps behind as they coursed through the school's corridors.

Carrie on the other hand, formed an idea as she watched Billie, waist-deep in the formless black that surged down the hall like a river rapid. A light bulb on in her head, she rushed down the halls to find her fleeing friends, hoping they were still advance of the hungry horror.

WHile they indeed were, their maintenance of that status was being tested. Their sprinting along wet floors quickly deteriorated to practically hopping through ankle-deep water as they approached the library. Carrie caught up with them as the neared the library entrance.

"Guys, I have an idea!" Carrie shouted over the unsettling noise of the black.

"Well there's one." Gumball muttered, "What is it?"

"Anais, Darwin, you two need to go over there by the lockers." Carrie pointed down the hall to an intersecting wall of lockers. Perplexed looks from her friends did not stall her instructions. "Gumball, come with me." Without hesitation, they did as they were told; Anais and Darwin scrambled to the lockers, eyes wide with fear as they watched the darkness seemingly surge behind Carrie and Gumball who burst through the library doors.

Carrie quickly scanned the room for an accessible high place; seeing an arrangement of desks and standing bookshelves that would do.

"Up there!" Carrie pointed to the desk. Gumball's cat-like reflexes showing their worth as he leapt from desk to shelf. Struggling for a second to scale it. From his vantage, he saw a very angry spider. His attention was reclaimed by the sight of a rope being tossed to him, which he grabbed.

"Where'd you get this?" GUmball asked, jerking his sight back to the spider who poised to charge him.

"Rocky's office." Carrie hollered from opposite the room, "Hang on tight!"

"I really, really hope you know what you're doing, Carrie." Gumball shivered. "But if this doesn't work..."

"It will." Carrie shouted, "...I promise!"

"If it doesn't though," GUmball felt a slight lump in his throat as the words left the mind for the mouth. "Get her home..."

Carrie nodded, watching as GUmball's grip on the rope tightened, his paws shaking.

"What fools!" Billie proclaimed as he strut through the doorway, seeming to not see his rabbit nemesis. "What ever did you think you would accomplish by coming here?" With the last word, Billie motioned his hands upward like a conductor preparing to start his orchestra, the black mass redirecting; seeming unaffected by gravity as it snaked up towards Gumball.

"RUN!" Carrie screamed, Gumball not wasting a moment as he sprinted down the shelves, leaping the gaps, the spider getting closer as it too began to come towards him.

"WHAT THE WHAT KIND OF PLAN IS THIS?!" Gumball shrieked as he unwillingly continued his pace.

Not wasting any time, Carrie rushed into Gumball's mouth, the possessed kitty now turning to the mass with a smug look. Beckoning the seemingly sentient borg, he leapt down, rope still clutched, its anchor unknown the the cat as he now stood just yard from the enormous tarantula. SPotting Billie, he quickly sprint to the side of the black and grabbed the egg as it squirmed madly.

"What in heavens?" Billie shrieked as Gumball ran with the egg in his arms, leaping upwards the spider, the black and Mr. Cuddles, seeing his flight, rushing towards him with horrific speed. Just as the two predators were to pierce their prey however, Gumball was substituted for a doomed Billie who could only shut his eyes as the Black surrounded him like the cocoon of a caterpillar.

Unthinking, the tarantula attempted to stab the black mass, hissing angrily. The seemingly

sentient black mass then set its "sights" on the tarantula, the black sea of darkness surging under its fore as it quickly flooded under the spider, who then seem to fall into its inexplicable pool like one fell through a thin sheet of ice into frigid waters.

By the time Gumball opened his eyes on his will alone, it was all over. Turning to see behind him, the black mass had collected into a pool, about twice the size of Mr. Cuddles, feasting on its capture. Carrie, followed by Anais and Darwin quickly joined his side as they watched the scene unfold.

Soon, the black mass imploded to a ground-level puddle, seeming to have devoured their conquered meal. Instead of turning to chase the quartet however, the perimeter of the black began to glow, a familiar green glow. Intense white light shot from the center as the black let out a loud shriek as a vortex took over its mass.

Dumbfounded, Gumball, Darwin, and Anais were both speechless and motionless at what they saw. Carrie snapping them into reality as she floated into their sight.

"We don't have much time, hurry!" Carrie yelled as the three followed her rush into the vortex. Carrie and Darwin surged through, disappearing into the swirling visualization of color and noise. Just before Gumball made the leap, he felt the unmistakable grip of a paw, and within an instant, Anais was clutched to his chest as Gumball made the plunge into the portal. All sight and sounds extinguished but for a moment.

The next thing Gumball could see was the wooden ceiling of Carrie's bedroom, and shortly after his vision regained focus, Anais and Darwin looked over him with concern.

Darwin offered a fin to help Gumball to his feet. "Rough landing, dude. You okay?"

"I've been better." Gumball groaned as he slowly sat up, Darwin's fin in one paw, the other pushing himself up from the floor. Finally on his two feet, looking over two pink rabbit ears that were in front of him, Carrie was inspecting her shelves and decor; mumbling something he couldn't make out.

Carrie finally turned to see Gumball watching her. "Just as I suspected." She smiled slightly, "Not a second has passed."

Not sure what she meant initially, the three finally could hear it; their ears seeming to regain their hearing as the unmistakable stomping of a very angry Nicole boomed through the lower floor.

Anais walked to the closed bedroom door and put an ear to it. Gumball watched her facial expression go from intent, to sour in short order as he popped his back and stretched his fours.

"What's she saying?" Darwin asked.

"She's mad." Anais frowned, "Honestly, hearing her right now; I'd very much prefer the peril of the Void."

Gumball strut to the door, with Anais and Darwin stepping back as he tossed it open. Just in time for Nicole to crest the staircase and lock eyes with him. Slamming the door shut in panic, Gumball braced himself for what was to come.

"Hey Carrie," he asked rhetorically, "There's isn't by chance a way for us to go back is there?"

"Nope." Carrie smiled wryly. Magicking the door open and ushering the three out, she shut (and locked) her bedroom door. Leaving the Watterson children to face their livid, rage-filled mother.

"You have some SERIOUS explaining to do, little man!" Nicole fumed, hands on her hips as she cast a stern glare straight into the kitty's soul. "You father and I have been worried _sick_ about you and Darwin!" Her banter was interrupted with an unexpected sight at the edge of her tunnel vision. "Anais? How did you get up here?"

Anais froze in place, horrified of what was to follow. To her relief, her mom's focus reset to the eldest of her offspring.

"This is far from over, mister!" Nicole growled as she clenched Gumballs paw, eliciting a frightened meow as she stormed down the stairs and out to the car. Anais and Darwin following from a safe distance.

Once buckled, the station wagon was once again on the road, this time the driver paying mind to the rules of the road it seemed. Still very much fixated on her troublesome tom.

"You left quite the mess in your room…" Nicole continued her rant, albeit between bouts of silence as she watched for signals and signs; "...Just when I thought you have grown up a little…"

"Mess?" Gumball knew better than to speak, but this other transgression was unknown to him. "What mess?"

The wagon lurched to a stop as the seatbelt kept Gumball from a collision with the glove compartment. A thud on his seat indicated Anais was not as fortunate.

"Don't play dumb with me, Gumball Tristopher, you know _exactly_ what I'm talking about." Nicole growled, the rubber grip of the steering wheel at its limit as she exerted her fury through her grip. After some deep breaths, she continued driving; Gumball turning his attention to the window. Despite it being too dark to see anything but the trail of streetlights and illuminated windows, it was much preferred to the downtrodden looks of his siblings, or the cold stare of his mother.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the soft drone of wheels on pavement finally ceased, a surprising silence followed. Nicole got out of the car, slamming her door and walking around the front, opening the passenger door with just as much force. Without a word, Gumball unbuckled and made his way to the porch; Nicole approaching the rear doors prompting Darwin and Anais to exit with haste.

On one hand, it was an inexplicable relief to be home. The sight of the little blue house, on solid ground, below a starry sky, was the greatest thing in the world. On the other hand though, what was soon to unfold inside, was something Gumball would prefer to miss for a while longer. [?]

As soon as Nicole unlocked and opened the door, she was right behind Gumball as he was directed up the stairs, Nicole taking the lead as the opened his door, which immediately hit something. Glancing at her scrunched face for only a moment, Gumball peeked through the opening to a horrible sight.

Unknown to him, there was some good news. It seemed the hole in the wall, or any of the structural damage for that matter, had been erased from occurrence. The bad news though, is that the lopsided furniture and things was very much still there. Nicole seemed oblivious to the odd revision of history, solely focused on her destructive child.

"You're lucky Darwin's aquarium wasn't cracked." Nicole said through clenched teeth, the sight seeming to invoke a suppressed rage. "You won't be going to bed until this room is cleaned up completely, do you understand me?"

All Gumball could do was nod. The door slammed shut, and he let out a sigh. He had some work to do.

Anais made a beeline for her bedroom once Nicole and Gumball had made their way upstairs; very much wanting to change her pants. She wished to do it herself, but a frustrated Nicole wasn't letting that happen. She was on her bed now, facing the ceiling as she winced in discomfort from the rather brute cleaning her mother put her through. No new diaper was in order to her relief, she redressed her undergarments, looking at herself in a nearby mirror. How her orange dress managed to survive intact was anyone's guess, especially given how knappy-headed and matted her fur was.

"I'm sorry about my outburst, sweetie." Nicole put an arm around the rabbit who didn't hesitate to embrace. "Looks like you had a rough night, too." Through the reflection, Anais could see a look of slight guilt came across her mother's face; no doubt assuming her tattered appearance was the effect of her erratic driving and behaviour as opposed to the trials and tribulations of the Void.

"Can I go to bed mom?" Anais asked in the most heart-melting plea she could muster.

"Of course you can." Nicole tussled her daughter's fur between her drooping ears. "Your brother will too once he sorts his room out." With a kiss to the forehead, Anais crawled under the covers, wordlessly elated to see her Daisy right beside her, she brought it into a tight hug, ensuring in her mind that she wouldn't dare let it go. Nicole made her way to the door as Anais turned her head to see her off. A picture of Anais and Gumball on the bedside night stand catching her eye as the ceiling light gave way to the glowing stick-up stars that dotted her ceiling.

"Goodnight my little angel." Nicole whispered warmly as she gently closed the door, no doubt destined for Gumball and Darwin's room to assess whatever progress had been made.

Instead, she made her way downstairs, only glancing into his room, seeing her son doing his darndest to reset his furniture and organize his mess.

Passing by the TV, which Darwin seemed to be watching, Nicole stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed something was missing. Or, more appropriately, someone.

Darwin jumped in his seat as the front door was frantically shut, followed by the car starting and quickly speeding off. After a few minutes passed, he too made his way upstairs to see Gumball replacing his computer back on its desk.

"Need any help, dude?" Darwin asked as he picked up the keyboard and mouse.

"Nah, I think I got it." Gumball shrugged as he began to make the top bunk. "You're a lucky fish though. Some water got on the floor, but your aquarium is mint."

"Whoa." Darwin marveled at his fish tank, pristine and seemingly spared from whatever destruction had occurred. Hearing Gumball come down the ladder, he went to help him make the bottom bunk.

"That was pretty crazy, huh?" Darwin mused as they wrapped the sheets around the mattress.

"Sure was." Gumball agreed. "Now that you mention it through, I kind of don't remember much."

Darwin stalled for a moment, Gumball's comment seeming odd. "Yeah, neither do I. Wasn't there like a giant spider or…"

"Yeah, yeah." Gumball struggled to recall visual memory. "A giant spider-and Anais's playdate was there!...Right?"

Darwin chuckled, "Remember when Anais farted?"

Gumball laughed, "Yuck. Yeah, I was crop-dusted dude. It was rank. Poor kid."

Darwin's face went from amused to confused as another though passed by. "I'm kinda confused though, where did the spider come from?"

"Are you sure it was a spider, dude?" Gumball's recollection of this insect was blurry and riddled with error. "Pretty sure she has a roach problem. Probably a cockroach."

"Her house is pretty old." Darwin noted, "It has a lot more problems than just bugs."

The two giggled as the door opened to reveal Richard.

"She found you!" Darwin smiled.

"Yeah, thought I was gonna have to walk home!" Richard beamed, proud for some reason he didn't have to.

"You're head feeling alright, dad?" Gumball grinned, a large knot bulged from between the portly rabbit's ears. "Mom racked it pretty good, didn't she?"

"You can say that again. That woman has the temper of a hornet." Richard smiled, "Anyway, she sent me to check on your room." His voice changed to a loud whisper. "I'll tell her it looks good."

Gumball couldn't help a smile, "Thanks, dad."

"Don't mention it, m'boy." With a thumbs up and a wink, he turned around to walk out, only to be startled by Nicole standing in the doorway.

"Looks great honey, they did great!" Richard announced, clearly startled.

"Oh?" Nicole looked around her husband to see indeed it did show significant improvement. "Oh, it does look good-nice work you two."

"Gumball did most of it." Darwin conceited, "I just helped him make the beds."

"Well speaking of beds, I think you boys ought to call it a night." Nicole continued, watching Darwin hop into his aquarium while Gumball fetched a stray pillow for his bunk.

Once tucked in, Nicole turned out the light, the moonlight through the bedroom's window, further scattered by the water in Darwin's tank, was more than sufficient to illuminate the floor.

"Goodnight, Darwin." Nicole smiled as she prepared to leave. Stopping to see her son snuggled into his pillow, the day taking its toll it seemed. She put her frustration aside and approached his bedside, kneeling down to be eye level.

"Goodnight Gumball." Nicole smiled warmly, kissing her evasive son's forehead.

"Night, mom." Gumball said with a yawn. "Sorry about tonight."

"Just communicate with me next time, okay sweetie? Try to get some sleep, little guy. You start school again tomorrow. Don't want you to be too tired." With that she got up and gently closed the door behind her, much like she had done for Anais. Hesitating only a little to watch the two settle into sleep.

Gumball felt a slight shock in his mind, the idea of going to school tomorrow was not a pleasant one. Though, at the same time, it was. He was under his covers, head nestled in his soft fluffy pillow, with the gentle sound of their central air once again aiding the efforts of the Sandman. One last yawn escaped the tired kitty as he was comforted by the knowing that he, his sister, and brother, were all in one piece.


	12. The Head

_**AN:**_ _Quick chapter for ya as I found it best to split this in two. You'll see why this weekend. :) C+C as always._

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The week had begun.

Normally, her Monday would begin with the soft voice of her mother, gently waking her with warm words. She'd let out a long yawn, admire the view of her window while her brothers cycled through the washroom, and then slowly go about getting herself ready, albeit while humming a merry little tune to herself; Daisy the donkey always at her side.

This morning however, was going to be different. Whether she liked it, or not. First came the shaking. Someone literally shaking her awake. As if this wasn't enough, her eyes opened to a frantic, and seemingly impatient Gumball who wore all the signs of urgency. Instead of a soft, nurturing, motherly welcome to the morning; she instead was jostled awake by Gumball's raised voice, rife with panic.

"Anais, wake up!" Gumball insisted, "I'm in big trouble, I need your help!"

Anais let out a yawn as she grabbed her brothers' arms and weakly pushed them off. "Already?"

"Remember that homework binder I had to get done before I got back to school?" Gumball's voice seemed to get louder as she hopped out of bed, and tried her best to not snap his neck.

"It isn't finished, is it?" Anais glowered. Doing her best to keep her voice calm.

"No." Gumball whimpered, "It's not, and I can't ask mom for help-she'll kill me!"

Anais sighed as she stopped short of her dresser. Remembering her brother was in the room.

"Can I at least wake up first?" The rabbit didn't hesitate this time from sounding as agitated as she was. "Also, you need to take a shower and brush your teeth; you stink."

"Got it!" Gumball was still rigid, not seeming to take a hint either. Several seconds passed before Anais cleared her throat.

"I need to change." Anais deadpanned. "Get out."

With her brother finally out of her room, she plopped to her rump, burying her face in her paws which rubbed her tired eyes. Any hope she had for a smooth return to normalcy was going to have to be put on hold.

It seemed if the Void didn't kill her, real life would pick up where it left off.

Clean and dressed, Anais made her way downstairs where the family was eating breakfast. Gumball had a schoolbag, which Anais presumed, had the binder in question. As the rabbit entered the dining room, Nicole emerged from the kitchen with a steaming plate of pancakes.

"I made plenty so you each can have at least three." Nicole announced as she set the plate down, taking a seat herself.

"Thanks Mrs. Mom, these look great!" Darwin chirped as he took a serving.

Gumball silently did the same. Eyes seemingly evasive of everyone.

"So, did you finish all your assignments, sweetie?" Nicole's inquiry startled Gumball who nearly squirted a decent helping of syrup on his face.

"Sure did." Gumball lied, his nervous smile indicating such.

Normally, Nicole could read her son fairly well. Well enough, that such a response would garner immediate suspicion and interrogation. This morning however, Nicole seemed to be embracing niavety, seeming to ignore whatever red flags were waving.

"Wonderful!" Nicole smiled, "I'm very proud of you, Gumball."

Gumball simply resumed eating. Very much rushing out of the house as soon as he was done; with his siblings following not soon after.

On their way to the bus stop, Darwin wore his characteristic smile. Anais seemed indifferent, albeit grateful that she could once again revel in academic pursuits that didn't involve immediate, life-threatening situations. Gumball was the inverse of both. HIs smile was upside down, and his will to school was all but nonexistent.

"Cheer up, Gumball!" Darwin chirped, "Aren't you excited to see everyone?"

"Oh sure…" Gumball replied, not bothering to hide his sarcasm. "Thrilled. Ecstatic."

"Come on, Gumball." Anais moved up from lagging behind, putting an assuring paw on her brother's back, "If anything, you get to see Penny...or Carrie."

Gumball let out a frustrated groan as they approached the bus stop. "Why do you continue to think I _like_ her, like her? Not only have I never said I do, she hasn't either!"

"You two got along pretty well this weekend, didn't you?" Darwin prodded. It was something to talk about.

"I'm sure the whole world would come together if aliens attacked Earth. Doesn't mean we all like each other in the end."

On the bus, the usual suspects were present. Each one seemingly overjoyed to see the blue cat once again. One thing stuck out though, in Gumball's mind anyway; Penny, the antlered fairy thing that was officially Gumball's girlfriend, seemed distracted from the precession of greetings; a simple last-minute wave 'hello' was all he received. Anais seemed to be the only one who noticed, looking back to see the fairy seeming to be talking with someone on the bus, though she couldn't make out who. Her surveillance was cut short as she bumped into Darwin as he stopped to take his seat.

"Sorry, Darwin." Anais apologized, taking her seat between the two.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Darwin asked.

"Oh...nothing." Anais dismissed, assuming Gumball was better off not knowing of her observations. She returned to the task at hand. "Show me your binder, Gumball."

Hastily rummaging through his bag, he produced the large three-ring contraption. Two dividers caught Anais's attention. One, which was green and was labeled "Done", lead a thick stack of paper, whist a red one, labeled "TO DO" had a small stack. Not wasting time, she opened the binder on her lap, and turned to the "TO DO" section. Flipping through the worksheets, she couldn't help but sigh again.

It was all math.

Finally looking up from the thing, she gave Gumball a cold stare which was unsettling.

"I saved the math until the end…" Gumball fidgeted. "I hate math."

"Obviously." Anais groaned. "So, by 'help', I can't imagine you mean providing instruction or suggestion; you mean 'help' as in 'do this for me', don't you?"

"Well...maybe…" Gumball smiled nervously, trying his best to look naive and innocently ignorant to the depths of his laziness.

"I'm not doing the later." Anais said flatly.

"B-but, come on sis!" Gumball plead, "If I don't have this done by the start of first period, I'm gonna flunk! I can't flunk, please help me!" Gumball's eyes were beady like a begging dog.

Anais let out an angry groan. She knew that any attempt to go against his plea would lead to an endless circle of guilt-tripping and whining, and figured it would be best to just get this over with.

"Fine." the pink rabbit resigned, "Might as well get started, then."

The binder was now open between them, pencil at the ready in Gumball's hand as they began the first assignment. In this case, Gumball had actually done some of it: and to Anais's relief, though his methodology was convoluted and primitive; his answers looked correct.

They were on the sixth problem now, so far things had gone smoothly, with Anais walking her brother through each step, with him recreating it, eventually resulting in an answer. Gumball didn't bother to check them of course; he gave the bunny the benefit of the doubt.

"Question six…" Anais read aloud, "The points AC; and MQ are parallel, with OD intersecting. What is the measure of the angle marked with X?"

Waiting patiently for some kind of reply, she looked up from the worksheet to see Gumball peering above the seat, not paying any attention.

"Gumball!" Anais hissed, jabbing him with the eraser. "Are you even listening to me?!"

"Hold on." Gumball shushed, turning his attention to Darwin. "You seein' this man?"

Darwin leaned to the right and peered through the aisle to see Penny and Tobias, seemingly engaged in conversation. Penny then checks behind her, immediately retreating out of sight upon seeing the observant fish.

"Yeah…" Darwin answered with a suspicious tone. "I do."

Anais cleared her throat as she impatiently tapped a ring of the binder with the pencil. "I think you have more important things to worry about right now, Gumball."

Finally giving in to his sister's nagging, he slumped back in the seat with a sigh. "Yeah, yeah. What were you saying?"

Three worksheets of twenty had been completed by the time the bus arrived at the school. Neither of the Watterson children acknowledging Rocky was he waved goodbye to the students; their minds very much fixed on different things.

Now free from his work for the moment, Gumball began to press Darwin on what he saw.

"She didn't even say 'hi' to me like everyone else!" Gumball complained. "What do you think she and Tobias were talking about?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, Gumball," Darwin answered with a smile, "She could've been tired. Maybe she had a crazy weekend too."

"Yeah, that's what I worry about." Gumball muttered, being jerked from his conversation by a very angry Anais, baring her teeth as she struggled to pull Gumball along. Destination: the library.

"What are you doing?" Gumball asked as Anais's tugging seemed to be ineffective.

"We have half an hour before the Late Bell, Gumball!" Anais growled, "Let's. Go. Already!"

It was Gumball's turn to groan. "Whatever. See ya later, Dar'"

"Bye guys." Darwin waved as Anais impatiently dragged Gumball into the school, the two bickering all the while.

Darwin then turned to see Rachael approaching school grounds, waving to him. "Hey Darwin." she smiled.

"Oh! Hey Rachel!" Darwin beamed. "You look nice today."

"Aw, thank you, so do you." Rachel giggled. "What was up with Gumball?"

"Oh, he thinks that Penny was acting weird this morning." Darwin initially dismissed the question, but then grew curious himself, "Have she and Tobias been hanging out lately?"

Rachael seemed hesitant, looking around as if she was checking certain someone wasn't within earshot. She then bent down to eye level with the fish, hushing her voice some.

"Yeah, she came over with Misami and Terry Saturday night. They said they were studying, but now that you mention it, that does seem kind of weird..."

"Hmm…" Darwin put a fin to his chin in thought as he glanced at the school entrance; his face returning to its usual positive configuration. "Probably nothing. He's just really nervous being back." Darwin smiled.

"Yeah… Well, see you at lunch?" Rachel grinned as she started towards the entrance.

"Yup!" Darwin waved after her, "See ya Rachel!" He watched her go through the doors as he himself started his slow walk to the front steps.

* * *

While he was very much working with his sister at a free table in the library; thirteen of twenty assignments now under their belt, Gumball found his mind occupied with suspicion on one side, and disappointment in himself for suspecting such things of Penny on the other. Once again, Anais struggled to keep his attention.

"Earth to Gumball…" Anais said, clearly annoyed as she waved the pencil in his face, before bopping him in the nose with the eraser tip. "Snap out of it, we're almost done."

"Sorry sis." Gumball returned focus where it belonged, "I have a lot on my mind right now."

"Well, it can wait another fifteen. You'll be racing the clock, but if you keep focused, we should have this knocked out for you to get to class on time."

"I really appreciate you doing this for me, Anais." Gumball said a few minutes later. "I'd be screwed right now if it wasn't for you."

Anais simply smiled. It wasn't as if she would be doing much besides idling in class anyway. Not having to deal with her brother being crushed by a very angry Nicole was a nice motivator.

Miss. Simian's class wasn't too far from the library, however, Gumball had less than one minutes; the first bell had chimed several minutes ago. Busting through the library doors, he sped down the hall, the thick binder heavier than it should have been. Rounding the final turn in his dash, he encountered an unwelcome impediment.

"Watterson!" Mr. Brown barked, stopping the feline in his tracks.

Gumball was running in place, his heart rate rose dramatically, the ticking of a nearby clock sounding like claps of thunder. "Mr. Brown, I'm sorry but–"

"No 'buts', Watterson." Brown scolded, "Not even your first day back, and you're already begging for detention. Perhaps instead I should place a call to that mother of yours and inform her of your lack of reform…"

"Mr. Brown, please!" Gumball plead, "I have to turn this into Miss. Simian before the late bell!"

"Is that so?" Nigel considered for a fleeting moment to make the kid miss his mark, just to see him squalor; though, the pained and panicked look on Gumball's face curbed his dark desire and he stepped aside. "No more running in the halls, Watterson!"

With but five seconds to spare, Gumball threw open the classroom door, which hit someone, and tripped over a book bag which sat propped against a desk, his binder flying towards Miss. Simian's desk; miraculously thudding on top of it, barely touching the edge.

"Watterson!" A painting Gumball who lay face first in the floor was already tired of his last name.

That gravelly voice sent a chill down his spine. Part of him very much did not want to get up and face the ape who could very well ruin his life with the stroke of a red pen.

"I'm sorry Miss. Simian…" Gumball breathed, "I, had to finish a few–"

"Not this you half wit!" Simian barked, pointing a bony finger to the door, Darwin out could from the handle smacking him in the forehead. Gumball yelped as he sprung up and rushed to his brother who was coming to.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Gumball's frightened face welcomed Darwin back to the conscious world.

"I think so…" Darwin's voice was dreary and faded, clearly he was still dazed and confused.

Gumball helped his brother up and to his desk while piercing glares stabbed him from all fronts. "Oh, good." Gumball chuckled nervously, "...That's good."

Once again, the kitty was jolted about by the mumbling of his teacher, who upon turning to see, was reviewing his work. The red pen hovering over each page was like a rabbit watching a wolf, closing in for the kill. Each turn of a page brought both a wash of relief, followed by a renewed wave of immeasurable anxiety.

Cautiously taking his seat, eyes not daring to lose focus on the wretched baboon who was nearing the end of the assignments; his movement were rigid save for his fidgeting fingers tapping about the desk, mind numb, and this close to ralphing all over the place.

"Well…" Simian's voice seemed somewhat of disbelief. "I must say Gumball, I'm impressed. The fact you even brought this in was enough of a surprise, but you actually got off your lazy rear end and did it…" She got up, placed the binder in a nearby filing cabinet, and walked towards Gumball who slumped further down his chair with each approaching step. Simian stood over him, letting her words hang over his quivering body; she enjoyed putting the fear of God in this one.

"You pass." Simian said quickly, and with zero hint of praise. "However, you FAIL at avoiding detention on your first day back!"

"Huh?!" Gumball half-surprised, and half bewildered.

"What, you think just because he's your brother, I'm going to let you off with a warning, HA!" Simian threw her head back with a cackle as she began to return to her desk. "Looks like you spent all your brain cells on your assignment, Watterson." She paused, lifted a finger, and swiftly stomped back to Gumball's desk, getting right in his face with a devious smile.

"Now you just have to pass every single assignment, ace every single test, and get 100% on every. Single. Pop. Quiz! Can't do that when you're in detention, can ya?"

With that, she returned to her desk, summoned her workbook, and began their Language Arts lesson. Gumball, his head and his heart parting the storm clouds and hurricane-force winds which had been bashing it about since the day began, now had one problem out of the way.

Another sat just a few columns left of him, finding herself unable to look at him.


	13. The Heart

_**A/N:**_ _Re-uploading this one. I only now realized some parts were missing from what I had uploaded before, that's what I get for uploading a draft instead of the final version. Sorry. So yes, if you read "The Heart" before, I strongly advise you to read the 'new' version. Next chapter coming real soon._

* * *

Concentration. Defined as "the action or power of focusing one's attention or mental effort."; exactly what a certain blue cat lacked as he tapped the point of his pencil on half-finished and half-assed history assignment. It seemed that writing a summary of the five pages of text and images that he read but didn't bother to remember was going to be more trouble than trivial.

Five minutes remained before lunch; before this paper was to be handed in to count for or against his grade; which at this point was half over a cliff. Failure to complete this worksheet was the equivalent of hanging off a cliff over a couple hundred feet above raging waters and pointy rocks; only to then be indignant to the forces of gravity and nature for bringing you into the sea.

This global concept of the dangers of procrastination brought by indifference wasn't lost on Gumball, no, it was crammed in the unlit portion of his brain while thoughts of an antlered fairy, and concerns of an affair romped around. It was good then, to those initiated, that Darwin had not bothered to tell him of Rachael's account of Penny's studying with her brother over the weekend, lest that uncharacteristic uncertainty devolved into pathetic paranoia.

Miss Simian, by no means unaware of the cat's distraction, tapped her brittle fingers upon her desk as she sat back in her chair, scowling eyes aimed at the feisty feline who seemed to be slipping up already. She decided to rattle him a little.

"One minute and counting!" Simian announced, her eyes catching the subtle yet satisfying flinch of her least favorite student as he was jolted from his restless thoughts, and into the frigid waters of reality; peril awaiting his procrastination.

She wasn't done. Of course not. Getting up ever-so-slowly, slinking over to Gumball's desk, her gaze looming over him like a hawk circling in on its prey.

"Watterson…" Simian tisked with faux pas surprise mixed with disappointment. "You've got less than thirty seconds, that answer isn't going to write itself~"

Her wicked smile diminished a bit as the pencil hit paper, with the graphite advancing above the printed lines, letters which then formed words; with further composed sentences slowly coming to form; his sense of urgency seemingly subdued. The clack of the pencil's wooden midsection against the desk, and the presentation of the finished paper to the crass baboon extinguishing her menace for now.

"Why you honry little shit…" Simian quickly swiped the paper from his hand, bitterly hoping it would tear. Had Gumball focused on the movement of her seething jurassic lips, he likely would've got a little humor from her profane submission to his spiteful effort.

Stretching his arms behind his head, and extending his legs under the desk, the pressure of the moment seemed to dissipate as the lunch bell rang; the commotion of his classmates filing out lost on him as he took a glance out the window.

Darwin looked about before walking beside his brother's desk, as if he were debating on sharing the findings of this morning with his senior sibling. Ultimately, he decided against it.

"Ready for lunch, Gumball?" Darwin asked in his usual cheery voice, though a trained ear initiated in his mannerisms would notice a hint of unease.

"Sure am, buddy." Gumball grinned as he rose from his seat with a slight spring in his step. "I'm hungry!"

"Me too..." Darwin again considered that lone addition to be flanked by words of warning, which was once again dismissed. "I wonder what's on the menu today?"

"Hopefully it's those burritos." Gumball mused as they detoured to his locker, "I frickin' love those things."

' _Love..'._ Darwin found himself getting tired of his indecision. Finally a determined look formed about his face as they now went towards the cafeteria.

"Gumball–"

"Hey Carrie!" Gumball interrupted.

Carrie seemed surprised to see him. Or, more appropriately, see him in such high spirits.

"Hey, Gumball." Carrie smiled, instantly growing a bit nervous. Gumball could read her like a book at this point.

"You ever try their pan-fried burritos before?" Gumball asked as he eyed the menu, fulfilling his hope. "They're a-mazing~."

"S–so I've heard." Carrie lost eye contact, a little startled he was so intuitive.

"I'd be glad to help you do that." Gumball beamed as they made single-file for the lunch line. "I mean, I kind of owe you anyway."

Carrie blushed a little. "Don't worry about any of that, Gumball. ...your kindness is enough."

Darwin couldn't help wince from a wave of jealousy that washed about; simultaneously cursing its very existence as he parted ways to sit with Rachel and company.

As per usual with these rituals, Gumball enjoyed his helping first. Intentionally or not, his savoring of every bite made his ghost companion that much more anxious. Inching ever-so-close so as to make her possession that much more expedient.

While it took him no longer than five minutes from start to finish, to Carrie, it felt like hours had passed. Gumball jumped a bit when he turned to look up at her, only to see her less than an inch away.

"Oh, uh..." Gumball found himself a tad hot for some reason, "You ready to go?"

Carrie, equally flustered, wordlessly slid her plate in front of her feline friend, and wasted no time. Soon enough, the whole of the burrito was shoved into Gumball's mouth. Realizing this was unwise, plucked it out, half dripping in saliva. Looking around, she could see the stares: some of disgust, others of amusement. Gumball was going to kill her.

Carefully taking her first bite, she first felt the crunch of the fried tortilla shell, followed by an awesome burst of flavors from the tortilla, beans, and numerous other seasonings and preservatives. Its texture was tantalizing, each chew was orgasmic; and every new bite

earned the same acclaim, and produced the same effect: euphoria. Soon enough, the plate was empty, the warmth of the food traveling down his throat had its own satisfaction.

It wasn't all tranquil though, as with any possession, she inevitably got a first-person view of his mind's eye. Rampant with worry, anxiety, and weirder still, uncertainty. She didn't have to read his mind to know that Penny was at the fore of his thoughts, but seeing it parade about so vividly took the ghost a bit before she realized her trespass and quickly exited her host.

Carrie frowned as the sensations disappeared, the warmth of her warm-blooded companion nonexistent within her own form. "Sorry for taking so long." She looked to the cat with apologetic eyes.

"No problem." Gumball waved a dismissive paw. Had she not seen his innermost thoughts, she wouldn't have second-guessed his mood for a second. "What did you think, aren't they the greatest?"

"It tasted amazing." Carrie grinned, "Thanks, Gumball."

"Don't sweat it." Gumball smiled, "It's what friends do."

"Gumball?" A familiar voice startled the cat as he looked to its source. "Do you have a second? We need to talk."

If Darwin strained under the weight of withholding that cup of speculation from his brother earlier, the gallon of gossip that was now swishing about his brain was going to drive him mad.

"...So what happened with Penny?" Leslie asked, eyes gleaming with anticipation for some dirt.

"Well, Saturday night, Penny tried to call Gumball so they could study," Misami recalled the story like it was some kind of campfire lore. "After a few hours, she got frustrated and asked us what we were doing…"

"We told her that we were going to study at Rachel's house." Carmen continued, "We picked her up, and went over there. Rachael wasn't there–and it was kind of awkward at first just being with Tobias." The girls shared a laugh at this.

"Next thing we know, the last person you'd expect is flirting with him!" Misami seemed almost gleeful about telling this tale. "Penny Fitzgerald!"

Leslie and Terri both were rendered speechless.

"I thought she hated him?" Terri questioned, somewhat suspicious of the account.

"I know, right?" Carmen added, "We were talking about Alan, and then somehow it got around to Gumball; and we asked Penny if she really liked him–she hesitated a little…"

"And I was like: 'You had to think about it?'" Misami continued, "And she was like, 'N–no! I was just..' Then she got tongue tied. She almost left, but then she felt bad because Tobias had ordered pizza and stuff."

It was clear Leslie was getting impatient, "So, so, how do we go from hesitation to...an affair?"

"Well," Misami recalled, letting her transition hang for effect, "Tobias was being super chill and stuff, he and Penny got to talking about Gumball I think–was it Gumball? Maybe it was you" The cloud winked in Darwin's direction. "Anyway, the two just started, talking. I don't remember what they said; long story short, they've been hanging out ever since."

"Wait…" Cameren contested, "Weren't they talking about Carrie?"

"Oh yeah…" Misami's grin was absurd.

Darwin was certainly uneasy. He very much had the urge to ask on his brother's behalf, why Gumball had not been told about this; but at the same time, he felt it wasn't his place. He had been glancing from the girls, to Gumball and Carrie at the table behind them, only to notice Carrie was alone, a look of concern on her face.

Penny hadn't said a word since she had walked Gumball out of the cafeteria and into the hallway, Gumball not daring to make so much as a sound but those of his feet against the floor. Past columns of lockers, around some corners; the two finally arrived at what seemed an ambiguous spot.

"You...wanted to talk to me?" Gumball started, unable to suppress his anxiety, "What's with you today? It's like you've been avoiding me or something."

"Funny you should notice." The fairy replied, not making eye contact with him.

Gumball was slightly confused by her uncharacteristically cold reply. "What do you mean? Of course I would notice: My girlfriend isn't talking to me, she didn't say 'hi' to me on the bus."

"It sucks when people just ditch you and don't bother explaining themselves,doesn't it?"

Gumball's palms began to sweat. "What are you…"

"Seriously, Gumball?" Penny suddenly did make eye contact with him. Gumball flinched.

"What were we supposed to do last weekend?" Penny wasn't so much glaring at the cat, but the intensity in her voice made it clear he done goofed somehow.

"I had plans with Carrie this weekend." Gumball answered quickly, suddenly feeling a tinge of regret for having said that.

"Oh, I see." Penny grumbled, pausing a bit before looking at him again, now visibly angry. "So she's more important than me?"

"Says the girl who had no problem ignoring _me_ and being all friendly with _Tobias_ of all freaking people! We're doing this?" Gumball finally realized what she was getting at, his frustration seeming to cast caution to the wind. "You really, honestly think that Carrie and I were….that we...seriously? Come on! You know I wouldn't do that!"

"Do I, Gumball?" Penny's voice went up a notch. "Because the way you ignored me this weekend, and totally forgot about our plans while you were sure to remember _hers_ , kinda says something else!"

"Look, I'm sorry I forgot, okay? In case you don't remember, I had kind of a crazy week–I've probably forgotten a lot of things, I don't get why you're so upset—"

"Of course you don't!" Penny barked, "You never do!"

Those words hung over the two as they both couldn't find anything to say. Gumball could only look at his feet as he was, beyond anything, confused.

Finally, Penny broke the silence, tears brimming under her eyes. "I can't do this anymore, Gumball."

Seconds, minutes, all of it was silence as Gumball began to feel sick to his stomach.

"Penny, please, I just—" Gumball choked up, "I don't understand. Why are you breaking up with me? It was just a huge misunderstanding! I thought…" His mouth refused to move, his head throbbing and his heart a mess.

"I did too, Gumball…" Penny said weakly, "You're a funny, fearless boy who isn't afraid to be himself; you stood up to my dad, you taught him to trust me… Our time together has been amazing, but I just can't see us being together forever. Not if we can't trust each other..."

Before she could apologize, she noticed he had left. To where, she didn't know, and figured it was best to not try to know. If he was hurting even half as much as she was, it was best he be left alone.

Every impulse in his brain told him to leave. Run out the school entrance and just go as far from everyone and everything as he could. However, somehow amidst the fog of heartache, a little rabbit voice in his head advised him that his best course of action, was to tough it out. Three hours of school remained.

For recess, he opted to stay inside, head on his desk, not daring to look out the window.

"The hell happened to you?" Simian quipped as she entered the classroom. Displeased to see she was not alone, and worse, in the company of her least favorite student.

"Penny broke up with me." Gumball whimpered.

"Aw, that's too bad…" Simian replied with a false air of sympathy. "Plenty a fish in the sea kid, it's not the end of the world."

"Whatever." Gumball mumbled, turning his head so his arm obstructed all light to his eyes. He wanted to sleep. The older-than-dirt simian seemed fine with that as she began grading some papers.

So fine with his sleeping his teacher seemed, he wasn't stirred awake until Darwin stood beside his desk, shaking him.

"Gumball…" Darwin had said several times now. "Gumball, it's time to go home!"

Gumball stirred awake, the light at first keeping his eyes shut as he slowly lifted his head. They took the bus home, which meant he would have to see _her_. An unfortunate fate he realized after waking up a little, that he could avoid. At least today, anyway. Anais has Physics Club on Mondays, with Nicole picking her up on her way home from work as she got off early.

"I think I'm gonna wait until mom picks us up." Gumball groggily informed his pet fish.

"It's Penny, isn't it?" Darwin frowned.

"I don't want to talk about it right now!" Gumball growled, head promptly back in his arms.

"Alright," Darwin shrugged. "See you later, then." The fish walked off and out, leaving Gumball alone in the classroom. the sound of students and staff funneling out of the building silenced to the ticking clock on the wall.

Gumball was past the Depression stage, and was now stuck between a remaining wisp of anger, and acceptance. He didn't know it by name, but as he replayed the breakup in his head, it was almost upsetting how applicable the Kübler-Ross model was to the series of unfortunate events. His short bouts of shuteye yielded no comfort. The mind's eye simply recalling their time as a couple like a divorced man watching romantic sitcoms in his dimly lit studio.

Noticing the light from outside had become much less bright, shifting to an orange tint as the sun sunk to the edge of the hills which surrounded the town, Gumball afforded a look at the clock, the hour hand just past three; minute hand just shy of fifty. He figured now would be the time to go find Anais so he didn't have to walk home.

While the school wasn't totally dark: golden rays of sunlight poured through windows and openings, forming shimmering patterns cast along the floors and bottom lockers, it did remind Gumball of the Void. The relative darkness also did little to lift his spirits, especially when his route lead him past the spot where Penny said those horrible words. He stopped, looked towards the lockers, their owners unknown to him; opting to stand against the wall, eventually slumping down, head resting on his hands as he looked through a parallel classroom door. The few times his conscience let him think of other things, he was certain his sister would pass him, as the school exit was down an adjacent hall, visible to him if he walked to the corner and peered over.

Sure enough, Anais's Physics companions emerged from the opposite end of the hall, approaching Gumball from the left.

"I dare say, isn't that Anais's eldest sibling?" The shrill anglo accent wasn't welcome as far as the cat was concerned.

"What is _he_ still doing here?" One of the eggheads squealed, clearly repulsed by the existence of a laymen.

Gumball's lack of registration seemed to intrigue the eggs as they walked over to him, looking him over him like a fly trapped in a jar.

"My, he looks rather gloom and doom doesn't he?" Billie observed, not sure whether to be amused, or evasive or the sourpuss. "Must be something simply dreadful if he is compelled to sulk about here of all places."

Anais finally rounded the corner to see the irregular scene before her. "Gumball?" With concern, she rushed to her brother as the eggs began to continue towards the exit, chattering about.

"What are _you_ still doing here?" Anais questioned, noticing his sullen demeanor. "What's wrong? Did you get in trouble?"

Gumball didn't answer, simply getting up from his slump and following Anais who made her way to the front of the school. The little bunny wasn't sure if further inquiry was what he wanted, so she simply checked behind her as she walked to make sure he was following. It seemed she was blissfully unaware of what had transpired between him and his love interest.

Minutes of uncomfortable silence later, the station wagon did come curbside.

Normally, Anais would sit in the front, it was a short trip home; but she assumed Gumball would want shotgun, and wasn't about to make a fuss over it. She climbed into her chair.

"Gumball?" Nicole seemed a bit surprised. "What...what did you–"

"I didn't get in trouble." Gumball interrupted, buckled in and staring out the window, making it very clear he wasn't in the mood to explain himself.

One glance back to Anais confirmed she was just as unaware of his issue as her daughter was, Soon enough, the car was in motion. One could hear the radio, just barely over the sound of the passing traffic and locomotion.

Nicole wasn't a fan of this relative silence. "So... Anais, how was your Monday?"

"It was pretty good, all things considered." Anais answered, "I got an 'A' on our mid-terms, and my presentation in history went well."

"That's wonderful, sweetie!" Nicole forced a smile. It wasn't she wasn't proud of her little rabbit, it was simply that a storm cloud floated amongst their sunshine and while she wasn't going to invite it to rain on their parade, she couldn't pretend it didn't exist. Stopped at a light, she looked beside her, the depressed passenger still facing away from her, slouched and sullen. In the reflection of the window, she could see dried tears, his eyes bloodshot.

"Honey…" Nicole grew nervous as she put a paw on his shoulder. "What's the matter? You're not yourself."

Gumball didn't change his posture as he shrugged her paw off, not saying anything,

Nicole was admittedly concerned, but decided to let him simmer until they got home. Both Anais and Nicole heard some sniffling, an occasional wipe of his eyes, but he kept his sights to the window. The last thing he wanted was for them to ask him why he was crying.

Once inside, Anais and Nicole were right behind the cranky cat who stomped up the stairs, with no intention of talking to anyone.

"Gumball?" Anais asked, lightly tapping his back, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing!" Gumball snapped, Anais yelping as he shoved her onto her rump before her made for his bedroom door. "Leave me the _fuck_ alone!"

"I…" Anais was both shocked and hurt by his response, speechless as she watched what followed.

Nicole was this close to exploding, she stormed behind Gumball into his room, stopping the slammed door with her fist.

"Who the hell do you think you are talking to your sister like that?" Nicole fumed, "She's four! Your little attitude is unacceptable, mister!"

"You have _no_ idea what today has been like for me!" Gumball snapped back, matching in volume and veroscity, "All I want is for you all to just back off, alright?"

"There is absolutely zero reason for you to talk to any of us like that." Nicole tried her best to keep her cool, "Apologize to your sister. Now."

"No!" Gumball practically screamed, stomping towards his mother. "Get. The. Fuck. Out!"

Nicole was by no means a fan of the profanity, nor did she seem quite sure of what to do. Her tempered kitten was livid, tearful and clearly upset about something. She knew though, if he was anything like her, she wasn't going to get a word out of him that wasn't profane or deflective.

So, she did as he asked. Giving him a look of disappointment as she silently, calmly exited his room. On her way to the stairs, she almost passed her daughter who had heard that exchange, still frozen in place, ears drooping.

"Are you okay sweetie?" Nicole helped her daughter to her feet, and brushed off her dress. "Don't worry about him, honey." Nicole took her daughter's paw as she lead her down the stairs. "He just needs some time to himself."

Her next sight, was Darwin, who must've heard it all go down himself, as he quickly turned from his position of peeking over the couch towards the staircase.

"I don't suppose you know what's wrong with him?" Nicole crossed her arms as she glared at the frightened fish. He could feel Anais staring at him as well as she sat beside him on the couch.

Darwin hesitated a moment. Weighing the cost of bringing up the breakup, but then reasoned that no matter what Gumball would dish out, Nicole was a whole different level of terrifying. She knew he knew, and he was damned either way.

"Well…" Darwin's eyes darted about for a moment, praying to a false god that Gumball wasn't within earshot, "I don't think he'd want me to talk about it."

Nicole was rather unhappy with that response. "Now Darwin," She got to eye level with him, her glare pugnant and paralyzing, "Let's not be difficult, alright? I shouldn't have to get upset with you. It would be a real shame if a certain little fish got a downgrade in their sleeping quarters, now wouldn't it?"

"Is that a threat?" Darwin squeaked

"No sweetie," Nicole's eyes went primal. "That's a guarantee. Now spit it out."

"But Mrs. Mom–" Darwin could've swore he saw a gleam in her eye. He grew cold as he resigned his procrastination tactics. "Fine... Penny broke up with Gumball. They got into a bit of an argument I guess, and he's been like that since lunch. That's all I know, honest!"

"Well," Nicole huffed, "Looks like I have a call to make."

Nicole was stomping to the receiver when a pink paw barely obstructed the lower third of her vision. "Don't."

Nicole was taken aback. "Excuse me young lady?" Nicole growled. "Who are you to tell me _no? Especially_ after how he just treated you!"

It was Anais's turn to be under the heat of her mother's glare. "I mean, m–maybe you should just talk to him later. What if he doesn't want you to speak to her dad?"

"It doesn't matter what he wants." Nicole seethed, "Nobody is going to break my son's heart and get away with it!"

"But mom–" Anais was cut off as she was tossed onto the couch, somehow landing flank first on the cushion beside Darwin.

Nicole snatched the receiver off the hook and made to dial before hesitating, the adrenaline depleting rapidly. She sighed as she reset the phone and looked towards the top of the stairs.

"You're both right." Nicole said, defeated. "He's a big boy...he doesn't need mommy getting involved in his problems, but...he won't talk to me."

"If it makes you feel any better Ms. Mom, he wouldn't talk to me either." Darwin added, coming to his mom's side seeing her down expression. "He gave me 'that look' when he came inside."

"What look?" Nicole asked.

"That ' _Don't talk to me or I'll bury you six feet underground'_ , look." Darwin replied matter-of-factly.

Nicole seemed beset from her warpath. "Sounds familiar." she deadpanned.

Blinds shut, lights out; eyes closed. Just how Gumball liked it.

For a fleeting moment, he considered music, the internet, perhaps his portable video game; anything to distract him from his misery and melancholy, only to decide that wallowing in pity was the path of least resistance. He didn't even bother pulling over the covers. The cat simply lay stomach-first on top of them, head sideways on his pillow that was a tad dampened in a spot that, had he been face down, would align perfectly with his eyes.

He was bit tense too. What with snapping at his mother who he knew wanted only to help him. That seemed to be his problem though. As much as he would like to tell his mom what was wrong, what made him so sad; he knew what the result would be: some kind of overprotective, likely destructive reaction towards whoever inflicted pain upon him. The last thing he wanted. Darwin? He didn't so much worry about violent retribution, though the fish did have his moments; no, he worried that Darwin would say something, or give Penny the cold shoulder. This of course would only make Gumball's reputation worse. Richard? Richard could go either way, or do something completely nonsensical, yet equally destructive.

His left ear twitched as he heard the sound of his door opening every so slightly, so slightly, that he knew the only person who was capable of fitting through that narrow of a passage. Soon enough, she heard the thump of rabbit feet at his bedside, then felt a comforting paw on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Gumball sniffled, muffled by his pillow, "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"It's okay, Gumball." Anais climbed onto his bed and sat beside him. "So...she broke up with you?"

"Yeah." Gumball replied.

"Why?"

"She said that she 'couldn't see us being 'forever''" Gumball's quotation was accompanied with a mocking impression of Penny.

Like she had no reason to retaliate in his defense, she also didn't have any solution to his predicament. Age and inexperience with such troubles was one major factor here.

"I'm sorry, Gumball." Anais gently wrapped her brother in a hug. "Her loss, right?"

Gumball couldn't help but chuckle at that for some reason. Despite how on edge he was, his sister's concern was undeniably adorable. "Yeah. That's one way to think about it…"

Out of the corner of her eye, Anais could see Nicole peeking around the doorway, watching them.

"You know what I still don't get?" Anais wondered.

"How mom didn't beat me to a pulp just now?"

"No," Anais grinned wryly. "How people can even like _him_ after what he did." Anais was borderline pouting. "How could you even be friends, let alone associate, with someone who bullies little kids?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, sis." Gumball sighed. "I guess I'm finally seeing Penny's true colors."

"At least you two kissed." Anais grasped for straws of positivity. Her ignorance of such matters didn't help her selection.

"I guess." Gumball frowned, "Now that memory is bitter just like every other one. It's like a bad taste in my mouth."

"Aww, Gumball~" Anais nuzzled her brother's head. "I'm sure you'll find someone that'll blow Penny out of the water!"

Gumball's face scruntched for a moment at that assurance as he finally lifted his face from his pillow, sitting up beside his sister. "You know who said something like that today?"

Anais's ears were erect. "Huh?"

"Simian." Gumball said it like it was a chore. "Couldn't tell if she was just being her usual, sarcastic self; but, yeah...never thought I'd hear that line from the old hag."

"I don't know Gumball," Anais teased, "You're frown is infectious. Maybe she actually felt sympathy for you."

"I wouldn't go that far." Gumball smirked, "I'm not sure of a lot of things, but I know _that_ is all kinds of impossible."

"Well, look on the bright side," Anais smiled as she hopped of the bed and went to open the blinds, "At least you didn't get in trouble at school today."

Gumball let that thought stew about as he returned to his face being buried in a pillow. He felt the covers pulled over him, then heard a fading thump towards his door which was gently shut.

As he lie back down, certain they were gone, he let the levee break; a massive migraine settled in as he sobbed and sniffled like the mess that he was. Eventually, he found sleep.


	14. The Day

_**A/N:**_ _Just a reminder for those of you who may have missed it: If you read "The Head" before the 29th of September, you NEED to go re-read it before reading this, as it has been edited and fixed. I uploaded an older revision that was missing some stuff. My bad. Otherwise, read on. I'm taking a break from this fic to focus on the MLP side of things, so don't expect a new chapter until late October._

* * *

Anais always loved it when her mother sang to her. She was more than fine to surrender to her infantile nature as the soothing lullaby helped to ease the little kit under the covers. This was only one half of the daily ritual in which her parents would see to it that her transition from the waking world to slumber was accompanied with happy thoughts and warmth among her senses.

She found though try as she might, she couldn't help but worry about the sibling who slept next door. Gumball had been down for the count since she had chatted with him just after coming home from school. Outside of Darwin occasionally going in the room he shared to fetch some miscellaneous thing, informing the family each time that he was indeed, fast asleep; nobody trespassed upon the kitten's domain, figuring it was best to let him grieve.

Anais hugged her Daisy doll under her warm soft comforter as she thought back to the week she, and by effect, her brother, had shared: from Gumball avenging her humiliation brought about by Tobias and Banana Joe, to their hectic and harrowing journey into, and out of, The Void. While for her, and likely Darwin, it was a week of adversaries and adventure; Gumball seemed to have an endless string of lows to contrast the brief highs, as if the events of those seven days were to be visualized by a seismograph amidst a moderate earthquake. Just as it seemed the insanity had come full stop, another instance of the cruel hand of fate knocking the wind out of his tattered sails.

The poor kid couldn't get a break. Though, Anais did recognize that while his personal state of affairs was anything but rosy at the present, his bond with her had inverted and ascended, from a binary, almost antagonistic paradigm of illiterate goofball vs. accomplished and acclaimed prodigy; to a mutual, modest affection and affinity for one another. Anais realized that as far as Gumball was concerned, his outward expression and endeavours could not alone define his wisdom and wit. While he was by no means a genius, he was most certainly ready and able to tackle anything life threw at him with optimism and an open mind. He was a multidimensional eccentric who possessed intelligence, yet opted to discard and disown in favor of fun and frolicking.

It was for this reason why his sour mood bothered her so much. She was desperate to understand and embrace this new side of her brother her own complex had refused to let her see; and to witness fate make it damn near impossible for her to do so, was annoying, if not a little painful.

Richard could see something was on her mind, and wasted no time in trying to fish it out.

"Something the matter, little girl?" Richard asked, Nicole's gaze showing his inquiry was on the tip of her tongue.

At first, she simply squeezed her doll, keeping her gaze to the wall, she sighed as she realized that wouldn't be solving anything.

"I'm just worried about Gumball." Anais answered, a frown clearly forming.

"We all are, sweetheart." Nicole replied knowingly, "When you get older, you become attached to certain people, you begin to figure out what love is; and at their age, it isn't going to...endure. He's learning that now, and we just have to let him learn, sweetie. He'll be okay."

"But…" Anais hesitated her contest for only a moment, "Darwin said he was crying, he was crying on the way home too…"

"I've been through what he has more times than I'd like to admit." Nicole had a slight smile, "The first cut is always the deepest. It's best he learn how to handle it now, instead of when he is older. That way, when he finds someone who truly loves him, and wants to be with him; he'll be ready."

"Same here." Richard grinned, "I lost count of how many girls broke up with me between Junior High until I met your mother, and even that wasn't the end of it!"

Nicole glared at him. She was glad he was participating in comforting their daughter, but his last comment was bound to bring an unwelcome question to the surface. Much to her relief, it seemed Anais was more preoccupied with her brother, than the finer details of their words of assurance.

"I just wish I could help him." Anais frown was still fixed, "After all he's done for me, and I can't even do anything for him."

"Of course you can." Nicole smiled, her little girl had a big heart, "Just be there for him and always remind him that he is loved; he knows you and Darwin care about him, and if he sees it, it'll go a long way to making him feel better."

Anais was conforted with this thought, seemingly pleased to have a part to play in his recovery. Still, she wanted to see him.

"Could you see if maybe he would come say goodnight?" Anais asked with pleading eyes.

Nicole looked worried, at that request. "Honey, I don't know if he'd want to—"

It was impossible to not hear Richard get up and make for the door.

"Richard! No!" Nicole whispered loudly after him, to no avail. "I guess we'll be finding out."

* * *

The first order of business, as Gumball opened his eyes, was to get his face out of his drool-stained pillow, for it was still damp and that felt immeasurably gross. Wiping his eyes and mouth, he turned from under his covers, now facing the bottom of the top bunk. Sitting up, he saw an interesting pattern of moonlight cast onto his wall, warped by a bedpost. Had his blinds not been partially shuttered, it would've been a brilliant illuminated square, almost like a projector aimed on a small spot of his wall.

Clearly, he had missed dinner. His stomach reacted before his mind did, letting out a very unhappy rumble before he pushed the covers off, and carefully jumped down from his bed. Out of the corner of his vision, he spotted something; then he smelled it. A plate of food sat on his nightstand, with a glass of water behind it. Meatloaf it seemed, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and assorted vegetables. As Gumball went for the fork, he could feel it was far from cold, but nowhere near as warm to suggest that this food was delivered only moments ago. For a moment, he considered returning to his bed and eating there, but instead decided to go see if anyone else was still awake.

Had he not be subconsciously mindful of Darwin sleeping in his tank nearby, he would've screamed as his bedroom door suddenly opened, his father peeking through before coming in quietly.

"Hey dad?" Gumball asked, still very much in a bit of a rut.

"Feeling any better, son?" Richard asked with concern.

"KInda." Gumball mumbled, "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it, son?"

"Well, I was wondering…" Gumball suddenly grew nervous, almost intimidated, which seemed outright absurd. Had he not been so down, he would've laughed at himself.

The two sat on his bedside, Gumball finding some humor that the mattress was significantly depressed where Richard was sitting, as if a bowling ball was tossed onto it.

"How long did it take for you to find mom?" Gumball asked, looking towards him, but not at him, a lingering discomfort kept his gaze evasive.

Richard was a tad perplexed, though, that was to be expected. "What do you mean, 'find mom', son?"

"Well, you know…" Gumball kicked his legs nervously, "Like, when you realized you two loved each other and stuff."

The rabbit took a bit for the rusty gears in his head to turn about, his memories of highschool fading back into the fore of his mind's eye. Nicole was a popular, albeit infamous girl who had a temper as hot as her looks. Richard was, well, a half-wit, impulsive, fun-loving buffoon. Nobody in their right minds would have ever pictured them as a couple, let alone married... with children. No, it seemed fate was alone in that pairing, and had a really strange way of making it happen.

"I was in a band during Senior year, and we played at a party after prom night, I forget who Nicole was with…" Richard recalled dreamily, "I couldn't tell you what brought her to me, but I knew she was pretty, and suddenly, we were talking; long story short, turns out we really liked each other, started going to lunch togethers, seeing movies...next thing you know, she was pregnant with little you: and we decided to get this house, and tie the knot."

Gumball didn't seem too thrilled by what his account implied. "So...you got married because of me?"

"Well," Richard could see his uncertainty, and forced himself to come up with something. "I'm sure we would have either way, it's just that you know, when you have a baby, you want them to grow up in a house, with two loving parents; and we did. Then Anais came along…" He stalled, not sure where his train of thought was headed other than through a thick layer of fog.

"Then?" Gumball was a bit put off by his sudden ending.

"Oh nothing." Richard dismissed, "I don't remember where I was going with that. Anyway, you'll find your own Nicole someday; someone who you love very, very much, and, maybe enough to have kids of your own."

"I hope so." Gumball was assured, though still downtrodden. His mood reminded Richard of something.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Anais wanted you to come say goodnight...if you want." It was Richard's turn to grow nervous as Gumball cast a confused glance; relief set in as it turned to a light smile.

"Sure." Gumball followed Richard off his bed, and towards his sister's room, her night lamp illuminating the back half of the hallway. Nicole couldn't help but form a grin as she got up from her seat to let Gumball sit beside her sister's bed, the two parents quietly leaving the two alone.

"Feeling better?" Anais was very sleepy now, but very much had to ask.

"A little bit." Gumball smiled, "So, do I like, read you a story or…"

"Yeah!" Anais beamed, clapping her little paws with excitement. Nicole winced a little, both at forgetting that, and concerned that Gumball would be displeased by such a request. The later seemed to be false. Gumball took one of the stools from Anais's tea table, and sat at her bedside; Anais fetching a book from a shelf under her bed.

Nicole and Richard hearts practically melted at the serene sight, their son carefully reading a story about a neglected stuffed toy sheep who wished to become real. This story, albeit a slightly glum ending involving scarlet fever and abandonment, seemed to pacify Anais, while at the same time keeping Gumball engaged, and, though he would never think it out loud, entertained.

WIth the story finished, Gumball closed the book and replaced it on the shelf, returning the chair to its place, and preparing to leave the room as a pink paw lightly tugged on his sweater. Looking over, he saw Anais staring up at him. Her face was mute, but he knew what she wanted. Leaning over her bed, he wrapped his little sister in a gentle hug.

"Goodnight, Gumball." Anais yawned, finally ready to drift off into sleep. "I love you."

Gumball stalled for a moment, those words were both comforting, and a bit confounding. "Night, sis." Gumball whispered as he stood up and made his way back towards his room, stopping just short of the door. "Love you, too."

Upon walking back through the hallway towards the bathroom, he saw Nicole ascend the stairs, ready to get some shut eye herself, it seemed.

"I really appreciate you doing that." Nicole smiled warmly, "She's been worried about you. We all have."

"I think I'll be alright." Gumball found himself a bit embarrassed, "Sorry for making you guys worry so much."

"Oh sweetie, it's fine." Nicole hugged her kitten. "We all go through these things in life. The difference is though, you aren't alone. If you ever need anyone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on; there's four people here who are more than willing to be there for you. I hope you know that."

Gumball gently released from her hug, wearing a knowing grin on his face. "I know."

Nicole continued toward her room. "If you stay up a little longer, please turn off all the nights and clean up after yourself, okay?" Gumball nodded as he headed into the bathroom.

He stared down the stairs for a moment once he finished washing up, contemplating a late night TV binge, but felt his eyes grow heavy once more, it seemed his dinner and his bed were calling his name, and he heeded that call with little hesitation.

* * *

Had Gumball been forewarned of what the day following their breakup would entail, had hindsight allowed him to combat the warping of rumors and hearsay that was taken at dictation, and acted on a whim, he would have done his darndest to play hooky, or at the very least, convince his mother to spare him the hostilities if but for one day.

Hindsight is always 50/50, Fate flipped heads, he flipped tails; Fate got the kickoff.

The first indication of the descent of his day from mediocre to miserable, was on the bus. Anais and Darwin were greeted the usual way; smiles and salutations. Gumball on the other hand, might as well had been found drowning a puppy in ice-cold rapids. Every face his way was scowling, every word under their breath was derogatory, and every quip was quintessentially mean-spirited.

"Heart breaker!" Banana Joe yelled, pelting Gumball with a pencil. An eraser sailed into his eye like a dart.

"What the what is going on here?" Gumball complained amongst the noise, "If anyone is going to be called a heart breaker, shouldn't it be her?"

First mistake: When it is assumed by everyone that you were the bearer of bad news, you probably shouldn't blame the 'victim'. A chorus of boos roared around him as the pencils, erasers, and even a math book rained down upon him like arrows.

Gumball's attempt to reach the back of the bus was impaired by Tobias and Bobert.

"Aw, come on guys." Gumball was beyond annoyed, "You don't seriously think I'm the one who broke up with her, right?"

"That's not what Misami said!" Leslie barked, "You good-for-nothing cheater!"

"Wait, aren't you her cousin?" Gumball was clearly annoyed now. "Why don't you just ask her what happened, instead of believing these stupid rumors!"

His insistence fell on deaf ears, with the silence quickly replaced with booing, and the floor being further littered with pencils, erasers, wads of paper; anything they could chuck at him as he trudged through the shoving, spitting, and courtesy of Suzie, slapping, to the back seat where Anais and Darwin looked horrified.

"Thanks guys." Gumball growled as he plunked in his seat. "Really appreciate you helping me out of that."

"Everyone's _really_ mad at you dude…" Darwin squirmed, their piercing eyes clearly looking daggers at the pouting cat who cast a livid glare right back at them.

"I have a feeling today isn't going to be a very good day." Anais sighed to herself, choosing the sight out the window as opposed to the staredown that would endure the entire ride to school.

Gumball was almost relieved to be in class. He would have gone to his locker to put his bag away, but saw people snickering as he approached it, making him forgo whatever mallace await him at the expense of the simian grating him about "...forgetting your locker combination like the half-wit you are."

Following a dramatic review of how the locks operated, complete with a demonstration at point-blank range, Gumball had had about enough of everyone and everything today, It was one thing they were basing their malintent on a lie, or so far as he knew, several lies; but it was quite another to see just about everyone galvanised against him. Truth be damned.

Penny very well could've brought this to an end, and knowing her, she likely would have. Bitch of it was, she was absent from class as well. Further fueling the fire along the grapevine which spoke of a foul-mouthed cat who tore a faerie's heart into a million pieces, before flipping her off while defecating on the pieces. Sure the mental image was worthy of a laugh or two, but being suspect of such a ridiculous thing was the inverse.

It was this reason, among a plethora of others, that Gumball opted to skip lunch, in favor of taking refuge in the library. Even the eggheads it seemed were privy to the disinformation, though their torment took the form of verbal jests alone, which he was more than happy to deal with.

Finding a random book nearby the chair he slumped in, he decided to read it. Any escapism would do right now, anyway. This book in particular told the story of a field mouse who had come under the protection of an advanced settlement of escaped laboratory rats. Although the pictures were nice, and the story itself seemed like something he should check out, that was the least of his concerns.

Besides, a tap on the shoulder interrupted his reading. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Carrie, herself seemingly looking for a book of some kind.

"How you holding up?" Carrie asked.

"Just dandy." Gumball spat, "Today has been awful! How the heck does everyone believe that crap?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't." Carrie floated next to him as she tried to see what he was reading, Gumball being needlessly evasive.

"Well, there's three" Gumball quipped, "Out of like, a thousand. I bet the whole town will think I'm King of the Douchebags by the end of today."

Carrie, unsure of how to address his grievances, instead changed the subject.

"You find a partner for your history project?" She knew the answer, but had to ask anyway.

Gumball looked at her with a scowl that made words unnecessary. "What do _you_ think?"

Carrie was a bit confused though, "What about Darwin?"

Gumball sighed. "Not gonna lie, I had no idea we had a history project until just now."

"Oh." Carrie's eyes darted around, making sure a certain kit and goldfish were nowhere within sight or sound. "You….wanna partner with me?"

"Sure." Gumball answered quickly, showing zero interest in the commitment.

"Well, we have until Friday to turn it in, but I was kind of thinking we should get a head start on it, so–"

"Yeah, whatever!" Gumball replied sharply in a hushed voice, staring back down at his book. Carrie was a tad put off by his brisk response, but saw why as she looked towards the door. Misami, Terri, and Leslie were peeking through the library door, seeming to be looking for someone. Not seeing their target, they left.

"Are they gone?" Gumball whispered.

"Yeah." Carrie deadpanned. "I guess I have to ask… Did you really break up with her?"

"About as much as we made out at your house over the weekend."

"Huh?" Carrie's cheeks burned a shade of red at the thought. "What are you…"

"That's what people think we did." Gumball lemented, "They honestly think I cheated on Penny with you, then broke up with her in the worst way possible. I mean, we didn't..."

"Well, that sounds interesting." Carrie didn't notice her mutter was very audible

"What?" Gumball was a tad unsure as to what she meant. "Interesting?"

"W-I, uh…" Carrie saw the clock inching toward 12:30. "Well, shoot, I gotta go Gumball, see you after P.E." With that, the ghost warped out, leaving Gumball bewildered for only a moment, a long exhale preceded him getting up from his chair, and reluctantly returning to the hallway, en route for the gymnasium.

The rest of the day basically dragged on like it started, the only real variation was that in P.E. he was "accidently" bombarded with volleyballs, his clothes were "accidentally" dunked in a urinal, and he was "accidently" flogged with wet towels. After having his clothes sent to the Nurse's office to be washed, he sat through the rest of class in his gym uniform, the butt of many body odor jokes; and of course Miss Simian's dramatic repulsion to his stench.

He was relieved to be approaching the bus lane, Darwin in tow.

"Well, at least you didn't get beat up." Darwin was still trying to fish some positives from the muddy waters. It didn't help a part of his mind was struggling to remember something he knew he had to tell Gumball.

"Oh yeah," Gumball replied sarcastically, "At least I didn't get beat up! I guess that makes everything peachy keen!"

"Just try to look on the bright side, dude." Darwin put a comforting fin on his adoptive brother's shoulder, "It's not like they'll do this forever."

One look at the angry faces through the bus windows reminded Gumball of something.

"We're not riding the bus today."

"Wait...what?" Darwin seemed concerned. "How are we gonna get home?"

"We aren't going home. We are going to Carrie's house to work on a history project."

"I thought we were partners?"

"Some partner you are." Gumball scoffed, "How come you didn't talk to me during class about it, then?"

"You looked like you wanted to be by yourself." Darwin asserted as they set about the sidewalk, bound for the ghost house.

No more than fifteen minutes and 1 mile later, they had arrived at the Krueger residence.

Darwin hesitated at the property line, Gumball stopping midway to the porch noticing his brother wasn't beside him.

"Uh, dude…" Gumball glared, "What's the hold up?"

"I just remembered something…" Darwin looked at the ground, "We kind of have to watch Anais after school."

"What the wha-" Gumball practically spasmed. "How do you only _just now_ remember that! What is it with you today?"

"Anais told me during lunch, and she said she was gonna tell you, and then I got distracted because I saw Rachel in her dad's car and she waved at me, and I waved at her and…"

"Wonderful." Gumball slid a paw down his face. "Great. Well, I'll just go tell Carrie we can't work on this until tomorrow, because _someone_ has the attention span of an potato!"

"I'm really sorry, Gumball…" Darwin replied weakly as he hung his head.

Gumball eased a little, "Don't worry about it man, just try to let me know about stuff like that, alright? Just wait out here, I'll be quick. Promise."

Several rounds of knocking, wrapping the door handle, met no response. Certain she was home, he carefully opened the unlocked door, peeking into the dark foyer.

"Carrie?" Gumball hollered. "Carrie, you here?"

After a minute or so, he entered further, calling from the base of the stairs. Still nothing. He was startled by the creaky step as he climbed the stairs, looking down the hallway for any sign of occupation; he spotted a bright strip of light from below a door down a ways and walked to it, knocking gently.

"Hellooo?" Gumball kept his voice elevated, "Carrie?"

Finally, the door opened, and there was Carrie, was earbud hanging from its cable. It appeared she was listening to music.

"Oh, hey Gumball," The ghost smiled. "Come on in. I already got some of the posterboard done."

"Actually, I kinda have to–" Gumball was stopped in his tracks seeing Carrie's drawings. Although the medium was clearly No. 2 pencil, it looked as if it were a the work of an acclaimed artist. The lines, the shading, the sense of depth, the sheer amount of intricacies and detail; it was truly impressive.

"Wow Carrie," Gumball's mouth was agape in awe, "That's, that's really good."

"Thanks." Carrie blushed, said blush blocked from view by the poster board. "I was gonna just print some pictures off the internet, but figured we might get extra points if I just drew some."

Now that Gumball's attention was taken from her pictures, he took a look at her room; the purple wall and white trim seemed to fit the girl who called it her bedroom, various posters bands, some of which he knew, and to his surprise, a few he himself liked; horror films, and various steampunk or gothic-styled dolls and trinkets caught his eye as he looked around. Despite it being not too familiar, he felt very comfortable.

Gumball's eyes went wide as he spotted a jewel case in her CD rack. "Omigosh, is that the new _Mumbai Tricycle Club_ album?"

"Uh...yeah." Carrie smiled, "You like them?"

"Like them?" Gumball boasted, "Pa-lease~ Half their discography's been my life's soundtrack for the last week now!"

Carrie was both excited and nervous, she had a common thread to follow without even trying.

"Wanna listen to it real quick before we get to work?" Carrie grabbed the jewel case from the shelf, motioning to her stereo shelf.

"Yes!" Gumball beamed with excitement, "I'd love to!" His excitement turned to nervousness as he sat on the edge of her bed, looking over her notes. There was something strange about the two being alone, truly alone. Between the music, the familiarity, and the notice that they seemed to share several common interests, for some reason ignited the cat's imagination. After all, Carrie proved herself to be a good friend, what with all that had happened in The Void; she seemed to like him, at least, that's what everyone else said...

Carrie was equally preoccupied. She had always enjoyed his company, that much she knew; but now that they were sitting by one another, sharing an interest in the music which filled her room with its paced guitars, drums, and crisp vocals; the harmonious sound matched the bubbling affection she didn't bother fighting. One would call such a rapid escalation from nonchalant to euphoric a bit contrived, but that's how things are sometimes. She embraced it, as did he.

As the two lie on her bed, cushioned by the furry blanket which itself covered a pillowtop mattress,the two were lost in the aural ecstasy of the tempered music that they shared an affinity. It was as if all feeling had been nullified as all Gumball could recall was how at peace he felt, especially when he would turn his head, and see her; looking at him with the same warm smile, that relaxed, content face.

Both of them were at ease it seemed, enough for their usual guards to be at bay, as unconsciously, their next glance aside saw his paw, and her hand, holding on another. They didn't think about it, they didn't bother, why would they when this moment was, at the very least, a beautiful cooperative escape into unparalleled euphoria; an emotional nirvana where they could part the sensory and experience each other in ways their conscious minds couldn't possibly comprehend?

Here in this moment, this sublime instance of synergy and serenity, compounded by the pleasantries of the last hour, they both realized what they had kept detained in the realm of uncertainty and wishful thinking.

"Carrie…" Gumball whispered, "I…" Suddenly, as the next word was set to play, the music stopped, feeling returned, and his brain slammed the lead foot on the brakes. It wasn't for several seconds that he remembered he was still staring directly at her; the anticipation on her face was unreal.

Gumball couldn't look at her anymore. Instead, he stared at his foot which he swung nervously, "...was wondering if you wanna... i dunno; like, hang out, or...like...grab lunch—A movie...sometime?" That last question was more a mumble than anything.

Carrie flinched, growing frantic as she found herself tongue tied as well. "Uh...sure. A movie sounds...great!"

Gumball, the first hurdle cleared, could now make eye contact, albeit it was still intimidating. "Cool. Well, we—yeah. Movie. So like, this weekend ya think?"

That proposition lingered for a minute. Gumball glanced to the door, as if the posters and miscellaneous things nearby were of use to his thought process.

Carrie then felt an odd sense of urgency seeing him look away. "Or...tonight!" She quickly bit her tongue, she clearly sound panicked.

"Oh yeah! T—tonight's a thing.. Tonight works." Gumball stammered, scrambling for words. "Meet me at my house… seveighnine-ish?" His tongue still was twisting about like a top, and it only served to make his cheeks even more red with embarrassment.

Carrie was now dead set on making this happen. "So, eight?"

"Yeah yeah! Eight. That. Sideways infinity, haha. That works."

The two once again found it impossible to face each other. Gumball wordlessly leaving the room, and was out the front door before he could realize he had done it without thinking.

His first thought, was remembering that Darwin had been outside waiting for him, and looked very upset.

"Dude!" Darwin fumed, "You said 'just a sec', not 'just an hour!'"

"Uh, you could've just come in, Darwin." Gumball replied, confused by his brother's lament.

"Not when the door's locked! I was knocking for like ten minutes! What were you two _doing_?"

Gumball jumped both from the question, and from the subliminal memories that crashed into his mind's eye when he forged for an answer. She liked the same music, her hand felt soft… he had a date.

"Sorry man, we just started talking, and-"

"Bologna!" Darwin pouted as he stormed back towards home. "I bet you two kissed or something!"

"Dude, I wish." Gumball mumbled to himself. While Darwin didn't hear the words, the sound of his voice made the fish tense up as the didn't speak to each other for the rest of the trip. As the got closer to their house, Gumball's heart began to flutter as the reality of what just happened began to register.

Nicole's ears perked as she heard the door open, and then quickly close. Two pairs of footsteps along the carpet. One slow and paced, the other frantic and frenzied.

"Hi boys," She began, "How was—"

Gumball was right in her face, eyes gleaming with hope and anticipation. She would admit his sudden appearance made her jump slightly, though not enough to curse at him for startling her.

Her son spoke at an alarming rate, her brain barely able to discern syllables from slush. "Mom, do you have that really nice feline shampoo?" He was practically panting.

Nicole was a tad put off by his alarming demeanor, "Well, yes, but…"

"Can I use it pretty please?" Gumball was practically yelling. Nicole was indeed startled, Anais as well.

Nicole's eyes darted around to confirm this was indeed reality. Gumball was hyper for sure, but this was just strange.

"Sure...yeah, my side of the bathroom counter with a silver cap-" Gumball was already at the top of the stairs, Nicole hollered after him. "Don't use it all, I have a seminar on Friday!" She let out a deep breath as she released the tension in her body as she continued chopping carrots.

"What was _that_ all about?" Anais asked, about as bewildered as her mother.

"I'd hate to find out." Nicole remarked, "Last time he asked me to use that stuff was when he…" Suddenly a light went on. "...went out on his first date with… hmmmm"

The sound of her hum was about the same as Darwin's angry growl as he stomped into the kitchen, creating a mix of odd noise that sent a chill down Anais's spine.

Anais looked perplexed at Darwin as he sat at the table and had a sour look on his face.

"Yeesh Darwin, What crawled up your ass and died?"

"Anais!" Nicole gasped, "Where did you learn that kind of language?"

"Look at him!" Anais dramatically pointed to the fizzled fish, "What do you say to _that?_ "

"Something a little less vulgar next time." Nicole muttered as she resumed cooking. Had her eldest child taught her anything last night, it was to leave them alone in their funk until they wanted attention.


	15. The Night

**A/N:** _Hoo wee, here you go you crazies. This chapter kind of became a monster in it's own right so...yeah. As always, please leave your comments, critique, criticism; whatever, so I know that people are actually reading this thing. :) For those who are? Thanks a million. See you again soon._

* * *

Riding the near-empty bus gave Gumball some time alone with his racing thoughts. He was dressed casual, his default sweater and pants would do; his fur was groomed, though he would never disclose he preferred doing so the "old fashioned way"; praying that the inevitable hairball would bide its time for ejection when he didn't have places to be, or a girl to impress.

As much as he'd like, Carrie wasn't the only girl on his mind; there's no way she could've monopolized his thoughts. It had only been a day since the love of his life had let him go under a flurry of rumor and hearsay. He still had no idea why she broke up with him; she was madly in love with him, as he was for her, she loved him for his infantile tendencies, optimism, and wunderlust. It didn't make sense

Orange, white, and purple blur of the lights, both artificial and natural, bled into luminous streaks seemed to mesh with the whirring of the bus's motor as it coursed about the quiet streets of suburban Elmore.

He and Penny had a bond that could never be broken, yet in one fell swoop it seemed, it was; with her reasoning being about as paper thin as the transfer ticket he had crumpled in his paw. He knew there was more to it, some external force of some kind was at play.

At this point though, he had begun to accept that there was no recourse, not right now at least. She still wanted to be his friend, and he knew she would be. He hoped the first thing she would do tomorrow, was to topple the empire of rumors that threatened to turn Gumball's school life upside down, inside out, and ass-backwards.

Gumball exhaled as he pulled the signal, it began to slow, and the streaks began to depart for discrete spots of light which seemed to demarcate familiar houses and streetlamps. The transfer slip was stuffed in his pocket as he made his way onto the sidewalk. the residence in question, contrasting the sky no more than a few homes down.

He found the building a tad intimidating this time around. Had this been any other occasion, the path from the sidewalk to the porch would be much shorter, the suspense of what would come of his rapping on the door would be nonexistent; and he likely wouldn't have fallen backwards at the sight of Vladius phasing through the front door. Then again, the first impression Gumball had of Carrie's father hadn't been the rosiest.

"So it's you, eh?" The slender, brittle-looking ghost said with what resembled a smile. "She's still getting ready...I think."

As if on cue, Carrie phased through, seemingly unhappy her father had gotten there first.

"Ah, there's my Baby Boo!" Vladius chirped, Carrie responding with an annoyed grunt, looking daggers at the snickering cat who tried his darndest to stifle his laughter.

"Dad!" Carrie growled, "What did I tell you about calling me that?"

"Oh pssh!" Her father dismissed, "It's adorable!"

"No, it's embarrassing!" Carrie facepalmed. "Let's just get this over with."

Vladius opened the door for their guest and gestured towards the inside as if he were showing a home to a prospective buyer. "Ah yes, come on in….er…" Vladius found himself unable to recall Gumball's name.

"It's Gumball, Dad." Carrie sighed, another strike it seemed. "I went over this _several_ times."

"Oh come now, no need to be such a downer, sweetheart." Vlad smirked as his daughter floated inside. He turned and whispered in Gumball's ear playfully, "She has that 'gothic' image to maintain ya know. She's awful feisty tonight, I'd be careful." With a playful wink, Gumball followed him to the parlor room, just in time to see Carrie continuing further into the house.

"Have a seat here," Vlad gestured with faux grace to a comfy looking chair which Gumball happily sat on.

"I don't believe we met on the uh, best of terms…" Vlad kept his smile and sparky demeanor, "Name's Vladus Lovus Lokowitchki, but you can call me Vlad. Gumball, is it?"

"Uh huh." Gumball was mildly amused by this ghost's perky demeanor, and what appeared to be Carrie's undying evasion of association with him. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"Sir?" Vlad wheezed a laugh, "No need for any of that m'boy. My little girl has said nothing but good things about you, which sure is something considering her...shtick."

"Shtick?" Under normal circumstances, that would would seem kind of corny, but his personality made it borderline hilarious.

"The whole 'goth' thing, 'punk rock'; whatever you kids call it." Vladus remarked, "I mean, it's one thing to be a bit behind the times; twelve years stuck in the underworld's purgatory will do that to ya, but my, my, she has all this music and accessories and...whatever the hell those voodoo dolls are, to make the grunge of the underworld do a double take! You into any of that?"

"Well, I mean, we do kinda like the same music and stuff." Gumball was still very nervous, but he felt very comfortable, Vladus seemed playful, harmless, and best of all, accommodating; the exact opposite of what he encountered with his last girlfriend.

Vlad checked behind him, in the direction of where his daughter went. "Bah, what do I know, I'm just an annoying old kook as far as she's concerned. But enough about me, what brings you here?"

They both knew he knew the score, but Gumball had prepared for this.

"I was thinking of taking her to a movie, then maybe getting some dinner...if that's okay with you."

"Are you kidding?" Vlad grinned, "I can't get her out of the house! Please, I insist!" That wheezy laugh was damn-near infectious, or at least, to Gumball it was. Carrie looked as embarrassed and stoic as she floated back into the room with a vial of blue substance.

"Ah, there you are my-"

Carrie was hell bent to prevent another nickname from escaping his grin. "Don't..."

"...Care Bear." Vlad enjoyed every minute of her discomfort.

"Argh!" Carrie groaned, glaring at Gumball who was failing miserably at concealing his immense enjoyment of this dynamic. "Here, drink this."

Gumball recoiled some at her blunt command. "Uh...why?"

"Because, if you don't then…" Carrie was mortified her train of thought was derailed by her discomfort with explaining the desire for physical contact. She also knew who was going to step up to fill in the blanks.

"She's got a thing for felines, boy." Vlad hooted, "Caught her wrapped up in a fur blanket this eveni-"

"Oh. My. God. Dad!" Carrie nearly sent the vial into the wall, Vlad caught it dramatically.

"Whoa there little girl, almost broke this." He floated next to Gumball, waving the vile in front of the cat, "You know how much these things cost; the Underworld is in a bit of a er, _recession_ , makes those yuppie "health" shops you mortals run look like bargain bins." He looked briefly at his daughter who simply glared at him.

"Like I told ya Gumball, she's mighty crabby...must be that time of the month."

"Dad!"

"Ya best cross your 'T's, and dot your 'I's. Wouldn't want you first date to be your last, would ya?" The playful jab which simply phased into Gumball's arm just added to the glorious comedy Gumball was getting free of charge.

"Girl's got a point though." His face went serious, "This here will allow you to inherit ghost qualities, without the whole out-of-body experience. Still, ya need to get back here around midnight; without the antidote, you'd be a ghost forever...ain't all it's cracked up to be if I do say so myself."

"Oh." Gumball nodded as he took the vile and observed the slushy blue fluid. "Okay."

"And this," Vlad presented another vile, this one containing a neon-colored substance, "Is for you, young lady. If this kitten's taking you to dinner, you're gonna wanna eat, no?"

"Yeah." Carrie answered quickly, attempting to snatch the vile, but to no use, pappy du jest had another point to make. "Same goes for you: be back before the stroke of midnight. You promised."

Gumball couldn't help curiosity. "What would happen to her?"

"She'd lose her ghost powers. No more phasing through walls; seen it happen before, it ain't pretty. The exact opposite of my little goosebump."

Carrie simply wanted out. "Can we go now?"

"Sure can, kiddo!" Vlad smiled, floating to the door, opening it for his daughter who zipped out, Gumball strolling behind. "Y'all be safe now, and remember-"

"Here before midnight. Got it. Bye." Carrie interrupted. Before the man could so much as respond, the door was slammed shut, silence existent until they reached the street corner towards town.

"Sorry about that." Carrie sighed, glancing back towards her house. "He's...a piece of work."

"No problem." Gumball smiled, "I actually kind of like him."

"Really?" Carrie was bewildered, yet relieved. "I guess I shouldn't get too mad; he's trying to make up for lost time. But sometimes, he tries too hard."

"Eh, it is what it is. So...should we catch a movie first?"

Now that the adrenaline was gone, Carrie and Gumball both found themselves a bit evasive of eye contact, just like earlier in the evening.

"Yeah-Yeah, a movie sounds cool."

It was decided the movie they would be seeing, is _The Screamening: Reborn._ Though it was a sequel, it was a horror film. A genre which Carrie had an affinity, and Gumball seemed to not mind so much himself.

They had ordered a large buttered popcorn and some candy, and were on their way to the back row when a yelp startled Gumball out of his trance.

"Excuse me?" An irritated looking cat spat, "Watch it! You just stomped on my foot, you little shit!"

"Oh, my gosh-I'm so sorry!" Gumball apologized profusely, tripping over her other foot as he scrambled to reorient.

"God dammit kid, are you blind?" The woman was seething.

Gumball was shaking, hot with embarrassment. "I….uh…didn't..."

Before Gumball could blink however, the woman suddenly went stiff, slapped herself across the face, shoved a bunch of popcorn in her mouth; enough to choke on, and suddenly slouched as a white blur zipped out of her mouth; the woman suddenly choking on popcorn, coughing dramatically. Though it seemed that she had forgotten his transgression, panting from her scare as Gumball crept up the aisle, Carrie waiting with a smug look on her face.

"You...That was you, wasn't it?" Gumball looked concerned.

"Aw come on, Gumball." Carrie playfully punched Gumball's arm, who was startled that he felt her hit. "Live a little."

"Says a ghost." Gumball rolled his eyes as he took his seat.

* * *

On one hand, Nicole was beyond annoyed that her evening shower was frigid, borderline freezing; on the other, unlike when the Fitzgeralds were to visit early in Gumball's infatuation with Penny, they were not ordered around by a frantic feline who was stressed to impress; nor did they have to hear never-ending drawl about how 'amazing' or 'pretty' Carrie was. Not that he didn't think those things; he just kept those thoughts to himself. A relief to everyone involved.

Gumball had basically come home, showered, and was out the door before anyone noticed.

It seemed Anais had a decent day, and Gumball's night hit the ground running with a spring in it's step; It would've been nice if her adopted son was of relative spirits. So far as Nicole was concerned, the temper and tantrum of her kids seemed to work like a pendulum, and frankly, with how the last two weeks had been, she considered to just not give a shit or two: let the grumpy goldfish sort himself out. Her driving logic seemed to revolve around a arguably selfish desire to not have to tend to every little crack in her children's brittle pursuit of happiness.

The strongest counter to that logic was quite simply, while Gumball's troubles could be dismissed as teenage angst, and Anais's missteps infantile 'moments' that were often more adorable than abrasive; Darwin was almost never found without a smile and some pleasantries. Worst case scenario, it was likely Darwin seeing the world through the tint of niavety and blissful ignorance, something he had in spades. It was for the later which Nicole felt somewhat responsible. She could reason that it was enough having to bring him up to speed, through a decade of learned behaviour, mannerisms, rigmaroles which were required to 'survive'; that nuances of things such as 'love' and the futility of schoolyard crushes was something she assumed he would figure out at his own speed.

She forgot that Gumball was well advanced in that area, and Darwin being Gumball's shadow, it was inevitable he would face such situations sooner than later. It dawned on her, only briefly, that perhaps a word with Anais on the subject may be useful as well given how she too seemed to be drifting into her eldest brother's sphere of influence. That could wait another day.

Poking her head into the bedroom, she saw Darwin, cramped in his fishbowl, face sour as physics permitted.

"Darwin…" Nicole for some reason found it a little odd talking to him without Gumball around. "You seem upset."

"Mmhm". Darwin pouted, his look not leaving its pouty configuration as he struggled out of his bowl, flopping on a nearby towel. Whist Nicole found it adorable, she had to keep that amusement internal, lest she agitate the bipedal aquatic.

Darwin finally stood up, sitting beside Nicole as she sat on the edge of Gumball's bed. "I'm sorry for being so grumpy Mrs. Mom," Darwin began, "Gumball just...irritates me sometimes."

Nicole couldn't stifle a wry grin, a certain daughter of hers was well worn of that phrase. "You two haven't been getting along like you usually do. Did something happen at school?"

"No," Darwin found his cheeks hot and his legs dangling lazily, somehow uncomfortable. "Well, it was after school, but-he knows I really like Carrie, like, _like_ her, like her; and now they've been hanging out and...I dunno, it's like he's doing it on purpose!"

"Sweetie," Nicole smiled with understanding in her voice, "What you're going through is normal. Gumball is...older, Carrie is the same age, those two have been friends for awhile; I hate to say it, but I always figured your brother would fall for her at some point. I'm sure it isn't out of spite though."

"Spite?" Darwin tilted his head.

"He isn't trying to hurt your feelings, you saw how he was with... _her_ ," that last word barely slipped through clenched teeth. Nicole quickly relaxed, "...when he gets a love bug, he gets it bad. I'm sure there's a girl out there waiting for a charming, wonderful boy like you. To be honest, a emo ghost doesn't seem like something that would work for you anyway."

"Why not?" Minesweeper.

"Well….I mean," Nicole found it a bit disturbing how she was slow to conjure some traits in her mind. She didn't spend much intimate time with Darwin as she did her biological children; and if that blunt fact was to make itself known, better now than never.

A voice came from the doorway. "Mom?" Saved by the bell.

"Yes, Anais?" Nicole was practically frantic.

"Can you come tuck me in?"

"Headed to bed already, sweetie? Be there in a sec." Nicole waved her off, hoping she wasn't eavesdropping in the hallway. She had a tendency to do that.

"I think I understand." Darwin sighed, still glum it seemed. "I just need to find another girl, who's prettier, cooler, and likes me for me."

"Sure." Nicole answered hastily, "...that."

"Thanks mom." Darwin smiled weakly.

"I'll be right back, Darwin", Nicole was up and out. Part of her felt like a coward, that thought leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Anais didn't beat around the bush as the entered her room. Well out of Darwin's earshot.

"Sounds like you needed help." Anais commented as she got situated in her bed.

"So you were listening…" Nicole grumbled, "You know what I've said about eavesdropping, young lady."

"I know, but…"

"While I appreciate the save, you already have enough crammed in that little noggin of yours, you don't need to worry about Darwin, too."

Anais simply exhaled as the covers were drawn to her chin, a gentle kiss on her forehead, the light giving way to stick-on stars that tilted her ceiling.

"I'll have daddy come and read you a bedtime story, okay?" Nicole said as she gently closed the door. Breathing a sigh of relief. Now she just had to worry about her eldest coming home in high spirits. The last thing she wanted was another mess to clean up.

One thing she couldn't seem to wrap her head around though, was Gumball. While he was certainly devastated by Penny, he also seemed oddly eager to pursue another girl. It hadn't even been a day, he hardly gave himself time to wallow in the mess of misery that was sure to cloud his mind at the moment. She chalked it up ultimately to just another effect of his selfish and optimistic nature; perhaps he was gifted with the juvenile reasoning that allowed him to be capable of ripping the bandiad off, and starting fresh.

In a way, Nicole envied that.

* * *

It appeared that Gumball had grossly overestimated his tolerance for grotesque scenes depicting irregular bowel ejections, bodily disfiguration; and the capacity of his bladder to stand fast against every. SIngle. Jump scare. It was good then, that ghosts did not have nerves, or any other form of sensation that would've made his vice grip on her hand anything but humiliating….for him.

He wasn't so much terrified, or traumatized as his sister was after sneaking into the prequel, no, he was _disturbed._ The cheeseball acting and tacky 'special effects' that looked like the product of a mid-range video editor in the hands of a novice didn't help things. By the time they had exit the theater, he still had an iron clench around Carrie's left "hand", something she found amusing.

"Scared ya a little, huh?"

He didn't even know why he tried to put up a front, "N-no, I was just...a few of the scenes were a little messed up. Who does that to...how do you even...AGH!"

Carrie turned away briefly, a sneer and a snicker were in order. Gumball seemed oblivious to this, and instead began the walk through the shopping plaza to their next destination: Palace Grove, a 3-star Italian restaurant located near Elmore mall. The long queue that snaked out the door, and to the curbside did not bother the kitten in the least; he had made reservations in advance.

He had taken "here" there once: not too long ago, actually, it was the grand opening, and Nicole managed to get him a reservation the day of, Gumball and his date were both fans of pasta, Gumball especially. The decorum and atmosphere was muted and relaxed, the food was fantastic, and, it was the last place he would have to worry about running into any of this schoolmates.

"Palace Grove, huh?" Carrie inquired as they passed under the facade, and approached the reception kiosk.

"Yup." Gumball grinned, "This place has the best fettuccine alfredo and breadsticks I have ever had. Also, they make these little fudge brownies with mint filling and warm chocolate sauce…" He halted, wiping his mouth as he felt it water, his stomach rumbled rather viciously as well.

Carrie couldn't help but be a little embarrassed by her lack of food knowledge. "So, it's like spaghetti, then?"

"Better." Gumball said with a dramatic air, "Soooo much better."

Now seated at a table for two, a small, seemingly scentless wax candle lit in the middle, the two had some time to make small talk while they waited for their waiter.

"Do you come here often?" Carrie asked, eyeing the delicious collage of food that was printed on the menu.

"Naw." Gumball waved, "Last time I was here was with...her-But that was a while ago."

Carrie wasn't sure why Gumball felt compelled to add that. The two found themselves a bit evasive again, Gumball mindlessly fidgeting, while Carrie carefully read each and every entry the menu had to offer; from pastas, breads, sandwiches, drinks, and adult beverages. An odd thought came to her as she skimmed the Kids section.

"Hey, How's your little sister?"

Gumball was a bit startled from his daydreaming. "Oh, Anais? She's fine…She wouldn't be though, if she knew I was hanging out with you alone."

"I honestly never knew she went to our school." Carrie was still struggling to pinpoint an item of interest. Gumball seemed to notice.

He tried his best to sound as apathetic as possible, "You want some help?"

"Wh-uh, no, I got this." Carrie chuckled more out of embarrassment than anything. "Thanks though."

Gumball took some time to look around as he mindlessly tapped his fingers on the table, observing fellow customers, most dressed to impress, and like him, were there as a pair. Some seemed more confident than others, you could tell who was there for their first "date", and who was there for a "night away from the kids" their conversation, their idle occupations, even their posture it seemed, somehow broadcast their reason for being there.

Panning his line of sight behind him, he could see a familiar slug and simian seated at a corner booth. They seemed preoccupied with conversation, from Lucy's expression, she appeared to be infatuated with whatever Nigel was going on about. Though, unlike everyone else, Gumball couldn't quite discern the intent of either. Their relationship was always an acute curiosity of his, principally because of their titles relative to him, it always just seemed "funny" that _teachers_ and _principals,_ one-dimensional embodiments of authority, would partake in such lay things.

"You two ready to order?" Gumball could've swore he saw a crooked corner of the waiter's mouth, likely formed sighting the cat's jump from being startled from his people-watching. Gumball watched with interest as Carrie seemed to panic, her eyes darting back and forth, mouth agape, occasionally an audible indication of hesitation would sound. Finally, she put the menu down, inhaled, sighed, and made her decision.

"I would like some… fettuccine alfredo and, these things." The waiter leaned over to see what she was pointing at.

"Oh, some breaded shrimp? That's an appetizer, would you like that before, or with your entree?"

Carrie seemed confused, glancing Gumball's way who had at this point, mastered concealing his humor in her experience.

"Before, please." Gumball answered, a smile just barely making itself known, before his paw obscured it, faking a cough into his fist.

The waiter seemed to be in on his act, and seemed humored. "...and for you, sir?"

"I'll have the artichoke frites, and some shrimp alfredo, please." With that, the kitten handed the menus over, and the waiter was out of sight. Gumball couldn't help a slight grin now as he stared across the table to Carrie who seemed a bit daunted by it all.

"Scared ya a little, huh?"the smug kitten smirked.

"Shut up." Carrie muttered. Locking eyes with him was a bad idea for her attempt to appear composed, she was for sure smitten, and now that the stress of ordering food was relieved, she could once again admire the feline who seemed to act similar.

It seemed almost instant, that the appetizers arrived, both plates steaming and looking about as tempting and delicious as possible. Gumball showed some patience, waiting for it to cool, opting for a sip of water; which nearly was spat on his date as he saw her shovel a handful of breaded shrimp in her mouth in a similar style to Anais when she was but an infant; crumbs, buttery grease, and sauce, smeared on Carrie's face. It was one thing that she seemed oblivious to her ill mannerisms, it was quite another to see her reveling in what Gumball saw as simply enjoyable.

She did catch on to his snickering soon enough.

"What?" Carrie asked, somewhat nervous.

"N-nothing." Gumball began between first of stifled laughter, "You...you got something on your…"

Immediately, the ghost fetched the lap towel and looked in horror at the mass of sauce and debris it wiped off her face. Gumball was now audibly laughing, unable to suppress it any longer. Carrie felt a flash of anger, but putting the towel down, seeing him again; seemed to arrest whatever outburst she had waiting at the wings.

Gumball calmed a little as he began to poke his food, "You got it. Curious question though…"

"No, I'm not used to eating with these things." Carrie interjected as she held the fork in front of her face. She would glance between it and Gumball who intentionally was deliberate and methodical about skewering some shrimp with the utensil, and navigating it into his mouth; watching her imitate the process, both elated that she did so with success.

"No, I meant, what happens to that food once, you know, you "eat" it?"

Carrie thought about that for a moment, taking the pause as an opportunity for another bite.

"That'd be a question for the old man." Carrie answered, "I honestly don't know. I can taste it and stuff, but once I swallow it, it just kinda...leaves."

"Weird." Gumball muttered to himself, finally eating himself as their entrees arrived.

The rest of their dinner was largely devoid of conversation. The two seemed focused on their food. For Gumball, it was simply enjoying the ability to splurge on such things, for Carrie, it was jointly a learning experience, and an incredible introduction to senes she previously had only read of. Both also simply reveled in the others' company, their quick glances at each other seemed to add to the euphoria of it all.

The transition from a fairly busy restaurant with borderline dim lighting; the moon and its entourage of stars was in full command of the sky, was in some way, comforting to the couple who now walked from the plaza, and down the sidewalk. Their destination was unknown, though within a few moments, it became the nearby park, which had some benches at a vantage that afforded them a sublime view of the skyline. Neither was about to vocalize their notice that they had been holding hands en route as they sat on the park bench. Carrie and Gumball both seemed to be devoid of words as they took in the view.

Carrie took a look at her date, who was gazing up at the stars, eyes filled with curiosity and comfort. She smiled at him.

"Hey, Gumball."

"Hm?" Gumball's response was almost sultry.

"Thanks for tonight. The movie, dinner; this has been really special."

Gumball could only nod, and was internally shouting at himself for that being the case, his inner megaphone muted as he felt lips against his, his own reciprocating; it was nice, for some reason, he was more surprised that the kiss was possible, as opposed to the fact he seemed to like it more now than with the previous muse.

For the first time, Carrie placed her hand into his paw as the two scooted closer together, Gumball once again slightly surprised that the ghost had weight as she snuggled next to him as opposed to the usual phase. It was nice though, and by no means did her do anything to disturb the moment while it lasted.

Minutes, possibly half an hour had passed as the sandman began making his rounds.

"Guess we ought to get going, huh?" Gumball yawned, the two once again up and going.

"Yeah, nowhere near midnight," Carrie agreed, "But I doubt your mom wants you home late."

"That, and the whole ghost thing." Gumball grinned remembering her father, "What does your dad do now, anyway?"

"Oh," Carrie found herself in thought again, "By day he roams the underworld, we've got friends and family down there; by night, he usually sits in the study and reads his books."

"Hm. Your house is pretty cool."

"I like it, I mean, up until we freed him from the mirror, it was pretty much mine; It's weird how you get familiar with something like that."

"Your home?"

"Yeah. It's just a bunch of wood, cement, and glass, but you know, it's 'home', you get that warm, fuzzy feeling when you see it"

"Unless inside of that house, is a livid thirty-something queen who wants to tear you a new one for flunking another math test."

Carrie playfully nudged the snarky tom as he laughed at his own jest. "I suppose that's true, huh?"

* * *

Anais insisted that Richard read the same story Gumball had read to her the night before. Not because it was among her favorites, mostly because Richard's relative illiteracy was sure to prolong his presence; something she very much desired. Something about the darkness in her room unsettled her. Something about her brother not being there, being gone, unsure of the time of his return; seemed to summon unpleasant thoughts which made her mind's eye play nasty tricks on her.

The first of a series of unpleasantries, was her ceiling. Normally, the canvas of glow-in-the-dark stars was a soothing sight, that encouraged thoughts of the vastness and grandeur of the universe, perhaps some internal, boundless inquiry into the meaning of life, love, or the pursuit of happiness; Tonight however, these stars took part in the malice of her mind.

At first, she noticed the stars twitching, then they began to expand in size, subtle yet noticeable as if the ceiling was caving in on her. For this, she was silent, observant, her projection of fear detained by curiosity and bewilderment. A soft, yet alarming wave of red began to pour over the pitch black in which the stars were set. Anais, frightened, shot under the covers, clutching her doll with all the might she could muster. Affording a quick peek, she noticed the creeping sight was gone, replaced with normalcy.

All things considered, she was weirded out by that display, and now found herself unable to fall asleep, her tire seemingly stripped from her by an onset of acute paranoia. Every tic and toc of her clock, every blink of it's LED that cast a faint red glow against the opposite wall; every time the wind rustled the tree outside her window; it all encouraged and empowered her fear of the dark to new heights to the point she was trembling and whimpering. Eventually, she caved, and hopped from her bed to turn on her nightlight.

" _That was weird"._ She thought to herself as she refused to lighten her grip on her inanimate toy equine. Her nightlight fulfilled its purpose, filling the room with just enough light to prevent any further nocturnal illusions, while also, hopefully, allowing her to sleep. This hope re-enforced as she squirmed around trying to find a comfortable sleeping position, settling on her stomach, head sideways in her fluffy, furry pillow.

"Alright Daisy," she proclaimed to her doll who did not respond, "Time to get some shut eye."

With that proclamation it seemed, her eyes were once again heavy, her tire reclaimed as she let out a majestic yawn, stretching her tiny arms which once again hugged the pillow her head rested upon. Warmth finally conquered her frigid feet, and her nerves seemed to settle.

Eventually, she was whisked into the sleeping world, pleasant dreams of academic aspirations being realized, intertwined with frolic in a pastel, cutesy world in which her favorite fictional friends inhabited, almost utopian in presentation and persistence. Her happy thoughts seemed fueled by the positive slope these last few days seemed to climb, and her tranquil dreams seemed to reflect that. It wasn't long however, until the cascade of cute and cuddly fell away into a void...literally.

The warmth and whimsy of her romp through fantasy was abruptly replaced with her standing in a place she never wished to revisit. Once again, she was running, no, hopping, at breakneck speeds down the colorless, cold hallways and corridors of Elmore Junior High: Void Edition. A magical anglo-accented laugh seemed to never lose her, it was always close behind.

"So I see you wish to play again, my darling Anais?" Billie quipped as he gave chase to his admiration, wielding a cordless bunsen burner that was aflame, and for whatever reason, her doll. Eventually Anais skidded before a dead end, her shadow cast on the wall by the dim light behind her. Fear swept every inch of her as her shadow was joined by that of Billie and her doll, once again on the verge of incineration.

"Leave her alone!" Anais demanded, tremor and trepidation very apparent. Billie now materialized in front of her, a toothy, terrible grin about him as her doll was held hostage.

"What, this old thing?" The juvenile egg cast a disappointed glance her way, "What possible use would an aspiring scientist girl such as yourself have for such juvenile things? Silly girl."

Anais's sight traced from her peer, to her doll, which it seemed, was alive, as alive as the life-sized rendition that she had only moments before, had been merrily strolling through blissful boulevards; sharing a careless whimsy as they went. It looked to her with pain in its eyes.

"Anais…" Daisy plead, tears forming, "Please, help me! Won't you help me?"

"I do say Mrs. Donkey, it would be rather fetching to see her try, would it not?" Billie grinned, prompting Anais to attempt to lunge towards the doll, only to be sent sprawling back by what seemed to be an invisible electrified barrier. Her yelp of surprise prompted a laugh from her opponent.

"Oh dear, it appears our physics prodigy is, shall we say, disadvantaged?"

"Please, Billie," Anais wasn't too sure why she was crying, but she was, "Leave Daisy out of this!"

"What, after you and your brother were so rude as to attempt to extinguish me in a godawful explosion? You expect me to show mercy whist you have done no such thing? Such a naive girl, mother was right to assume you were a wasted effort."

With that, the bunsen burner was impaled into Daisy who let out a blood curdling wail.

"Anais! Please!" Daisy was hysterical, looking directly into the frightened rabbit who could not move. "Make this stop! Make this go away!"

Anais tried to move, but could not, and her screams, her tearful tirade of pleading and pain, were mute. Her mouth moved, she certainly was yelling, screaming; yet the sound it would normally entail, was nowhere to be heard.

Billie's grin was manic, "A little tongue tied, are we?" Further the flame was knifed into the doll who now was in a fit of sobbing and blood-curdling screams. Anais felt pain as she tried to move, the forces of gravity and the Void seemingly straining to keep her down. She could only watch in horror as Daisy was engulfed in flames, its intense heat being the only sensation she could feel, the smell of the scene before her commanded her nose with the utmost ferocity, making her gag in repulsion. Her precious, beautiful Daisy, was charred into a horrifying skeletal mass, whose eyes were branded with the pain she felt as she was taken.

Anais couldn't look away, crushing guilt and gloom seemed to manifest as a physical force as she found herself falling through the floor with a sickening drop. Before she could muster a shout, she found herself rather harshly plopped onto the ground, covered in dirt. Looking up and around, she noticed she was in the woods. Where exactly, she couldn't discern. One thing she did notice though, was the familiar voice of her brother. If his panicked, frantic pleas of mercy weren't grating enough, the sound of two colossal feet pursuing him made sure the sense of dread that defined the pink bunny was uncontested. Parting some nearby ferns, she saw Gumball racing down an unmarked trail, hopping logs, dodging low-lying branches, and at one point, spastically tripping over a root; scrambling madly to continue his flight.

From what, Anais was not certain, that is, until she saw it: A large dragon, a red dragon to be exact. What made it peculiar however, is that it had antlers on it. While Anais would have loved to ponder the bizarre procreation of species that would have been required for such a beast to exist, right now she herself sped down a parallel path, tracking her brother as he continued his mad dash away from the angry thing.

"It was a misunderstanding!" Gumball cried as he booked it, "Penny, please, I love you!"

"LIES." The dragon roared, a torrent of fire ejected from its mouth as it vainly attempted to fry it's prey. "YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE, AND YOU BLEW IT!"

Gumball's retreat was cut short as a towering wall of fire ringed around him, blocking any attempt to escape. The dragon towered over him, her pointy fangs dripping with venom and vengeance. Some of it striking the cat's fur, which was dissolved.

"Aw, come on, Penny! I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry!"

Penny let out another roar with another expulsion of flames. This time, charring the cocky cat who now seemed very afraid of his predicament.

Anais wasted no time, she hopped through the brush and debris, encountering the wall of fire. She took her paw and touched it, noticing that for some odd reason, she wasn't burned. Boldly phasing through, she saw Gumball, cowering in fear as the dragon loomed above; a menacing grin showing off its powerful teeth.

"IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU GUMBALL, NO ONE CAN." With that, the dragon grabbed the kitten who screamed in fear as he was raised to the dragon's mouth. Glancing down, Gumball noticed something which made his stomach turn.

"Anais?!" He whimpered, horrified that his sister was to witness his demise.

"OH?" Penny glared down at the rabbit who, once again, was immobile, and found herself in its clutches, beside her brother. Anais looked forward, only to see the gaping mouth of the monster as the two screaming mammals were tossed inside. Anais glanced over for a brief moment, to her horror as she saw her brother impaled by a sharp, monstrous fang; the sight graphic and gruesome, the sounds were beyond terrible.

With that loud sound though, her sight was once again gone, the reverb of the noise filling her ears as all sensation left her again. A blinding light suddenly flashed in her view, some muffled voices saying something she could not understand. As her vision stabilized, she saw her mother and Richard looking down at her. As her feeling returned, she felt hot, covered in sweat, her eyes dry as he whole body shook.

"Honey, it's mommy, are you okay?" Nicole seemed very worried as she knelt down to be eye level with Anais, bringing her little girl into a gentle embrace.

She was back in her room, just as she had left it. Her heart was racing at a million miles per hour, the trauma from her nightmares very much engrained her her conscience.

"Have a scary nightmare, sweetie?" Richard asked timidly, somewhat unhappy being left out of the hug.

"Yeah." Anais whimpered a she sniffled, "It was terrible."

"Aw, you poor thing." Nicole continued her hug, kissing her daughter on the forehead, "I told you not to get yourself caught up with the boys and their problems, I knew it would bother you."

Anais wasn't sure what to make of the double-edged sword of sympathy and scorn, and she didn't dwell on it too much; she was just glad to be awake and alive.

"Is Gumball home yet?"

"No, I actually have to go pick him up here soon," Nicole sighed, "He stayed out a bit later than he said he would."

"You think he's okay?"

Nicole was a bit humored by her panic, as horrible as it was, "Oh, I'm sure, you know how he is. You think you'll be okay while I go get him? Daddy will be here."

"I think I'll be alright." Anais let out another prolonged sniffle, her distress apparently causing her to become congested.

"Stay with her until I come back." Anais could barely make out the hushed command Nicole issued to her husband as she walked out of the room, the sound of car keys, the front door opening, then closing; and finally the car driving away. Silence once again. All Anais could do was groan as she flopped on her back, glaring daggers at her ceiling for setting off the precession of terror.

* * *

It would be safe to wager that Carrie was a bit uneasy seeing her father waiting on the porch as the two turned the corner on their street. Not so much for his actions, but for what he could say: did they really waste that much time coming home? Was that beautiful boy holding her hand so gently, so lovingly, doomed to a life of perpetual spirituality? The sly smile that grew on Vlad's face as they approached seemed to suggest otherwise.

"Back already, huh?" the old ghost remarked, opening the front doors as they strolled inside. "I see you're still in one piece, Gumball."

"We had a great time." Carrie smiled as went for the vials that sat in the parlor room. "We really should eat out more often, dad. I had some...what was it called, Gumball?"

Her ignorance of food was never going to get old, he could barely keep the snickering from escaping, "Italian food, Carrie."

"Ah, Italy; the Romans, Julius Caesar, classical architecture. What a place, what a time!" Vlad danced about, babbling on with passion as he fetched Gumball's vial. "Here's your antidote boy. Though, you might want to put it off, you know, in case you two still need a moment."

Carrie found herself embarrassed again.

"Oh, don't tell me you two didn't suck face, you look way too happy to have just been holding hands, little lady."

Gumball lost it.

"Dad!" Carrie barked, though a bit humored by her date's amusement.

"Oh alright, I'll leave you two be." Vlad waved a dismissive hand. "You're good people, Gumball. No need to worry about Mr. Krueger putting you on a blacklist." With a wink, he started to depart, but had one more thing to say it seemed, this one whispered in Gumball's ear.

"Thank you." Gumball was a bit startled, but also confused. Fortunate for him, there was clarification.

"It's nice to see she has a friend like you, it means a lot to her."

Gumball couldn't help a cheesy grin as the old man finally wandered out of sight.

Carrie once again felt the immense weight of hesitation as she locked eyes with the cat once again. The two alone in the parlor room, the dim radiance of the antiquated chandelier above them brought back the intimacy of their night out. She managed to untangle her tongue nonetheless.

"You wanna...you know…" Or, at least, she thought she did.

Lucky for her, great minds thought alike. Gumball pulled her close and the two shared an embrace, and a kiss as well, this time a tad more, shall we say, involved than their first go at it. Gumball's cheeks inflamed as they released, both unable to look at each other for but a moment.

"I want to thank you again, Gumball." Carrie smiled as softly as her words were spoken. "It was really awesome to get to go out like that. I… honestly… never thought anyone would, you know, _like me_ , like me."

"Really?" Gumball was slightly saddened by her glum self esteem. "I've always thought you were pretty cool. I mean, you live in an awesome house, have a great taste in music-not to mention, you're an amazing artist."

Gumball felt a little odd, while saying those words was trivial, for whatever reason, realising he had done so made him feel a tad bit flustered.

"Aw, Gumball~" Carrie squirmed with embarrassment. The two let silence claim the scene again as they idly looked about, thinking of something to say. A car horn outside jostled them both from their thoughts. Gumball glanced down at the vial she had yet to consume, the swishing compound seemed interesting. Suddenly, he felt a kiss on her cheek, quickly glancing over, Carrie was half embarrassed, half amused in herself. She felt a bit cocky; this whole 'love' thing seemed pretty fun.

Gumball downed the vial, and felt an odd sensation course through his body which quickly dissipated. He made his way to the door with Carrie quickly following behind.

Outside, he could see his mother's station wagon, parked curbside. Nicole seemed busy texting someone, affording Gumball one last look at his girlfriend.

"So, you wanna do this again sometime?" Gumball smiled nervously.

"Hell yeah I do." Carrie laughed as she went to playfully nudge the cat, only to phase through his arm, much to her brief disappointment, and Gumball's immense amusement.

"Well, good thing it worked." Gumball smiled. "...hey, uh, I had fun tonight. ...See you at school tomorrow I guess."

"Yeah…" Carrie sighed, somewhat glum the night had to end at some point. "Later, dude."

With that, the two shared a wave goodbye and Gumball made his way to the car, Nicole spotting his advance, and opening the passenger door. Nicole attended to her phone a little longer, an email from work seemed to be her priority at the moment, finally putting it away and seeing her soon looking longingly out the passenger window the ghost who smiled at him from the doorway.

Finally, the car was in motion, Gumball was relaxed, at ease, and above all, happy. Nicole could tell.

"So, how did it go?" Nicole asked.

"Good." Gumball answered, pausing while her recalled the evening, "We caught a movie; had some dinner at that new Italian place; and, we hung out at the park for a bit. It was fun."

"I'm glad." Nicole smiled, "You two a thing now?"

"Pretty sure we are." Gumball replied, a grin forming as he fondly remembered the ghost girl's affection, "Yeah, we're for sure dating."

Nicole did have one curiosity, "How's her father?"

"He's pretty cool, actually. Really laid back; has a sense of humor. He really seems to like me."

"That's wonderful sweetheart." Nicole couldn't help feel happy for him, after all, considering what her kitten had been dealt these last few weeks, it was nice to have his night end on a positive note.

Entering the house, Gumball noticed it was dark, with the exception of the upstairs, which from the bottom flight, Gumball could see the distinct glow of Anai's night light.

"Anais is still up?" Gumball wondered aloud.

"She had some trouble sleeping." Nicole answered as the two went up the stairs, "I think she would appreciate a good night from her big brother." With a playful wink, Gumball headed to his sister's room, peeking in to see Richard dozing off, somehow sitting on the impossibly tiny play chair near Anais's tea table.

"You still up, sis?" Gumball tapped the door frame lightly, seeing his sister's ears perk up immediately.

"Gumball!" Anais beamed as he approached her bedside, wrapping him in a hug. "How was your date?"

"It was fun, Anais." Gumball smiled, "We had a good time."

"Did you guys go see a movie?"

"Yup."

"Which one?"

Gumball wasn't sure if mentioning a horror film was the best idea given her history.

"Some chick flick, I don't remember."

"Wow," Anais replied with faux awe, "You must pretty smitten if you sat through one of those."

The two shared a light laugh, with Gumball succumbing to a yawn shortly after.

"I think I'm gonna head off to bed, kid." Gumball playfully tussled his sister's fur. "You should probably get some sleep, too."

Anais giggled at her brother's playful gesture. Her face went serious though as she noticed something.

"He broke my chair." Anais deadpanned, staring right at her dad sitting on the chair which, courtesy of his immense weight destroying its back, was now a stool.

"He did, didn't he?" Gumball snickered as he sauntered over to his dozing dad. "Hey Richard! Wake up!"

The frazzled rabbit stirred awake, noticing his two kids staring at him. One with amusement, the other with irritation.

"Look down." Anais pinched her nose.

Richard got up, and looked down at the stool that was once a chair.

"Aw, sorry honey, Daddy will get you a new one-How was your date, son?"

"Pretty good, dad." Gumball replied, making his way out the door with Richard following.

Anais couldn't make out what they were saying, presumably they had entered Gumball's room. She relaxed into her bed again, a new comfort about her. Her brother was home and happy, free from the clutches of regret and reprise, and she it seemed, survived a rather nasty nightmare. Darwin seemed fine too, which was a plus.

With happy thoughts, she sank into her pillow, that doll never leaving her clutches, and again she was fast asleep in due time. To her fortune, her dreams were positive and peaceful, the bad thoughts at bay, with nothing but optimism commanding her mind's eye as she awaited whatever tomorrow had in store.


	16. The Truth

"I'm not going to say it again, young lady: I catch you anywhere near that delinquent, he'll regret it!"

"Dad, he was sticking up for his little sister! He isn't a deliqu-"

"A straight 'F' student, smartass; no good, troublemaker! My daughter will _not_ be deflowered by that deviant. Your mother and I _both_ agree on this. No means no!"

Her father had put his foot down and lead footed the brakes. Despite all of Penny's insistence that there was another side to the story which promoted her parents' loss of respect for the frisky feline, they refused to listen. No negotiation was to take place, no reconsideration was to be permitted on their part. Gumball Watterson was blacklisted, an enemy of the paternal government which wield absolute authority. Objection was tolerated; defiance was a capital offense.

Following her breakup with Gumball, she was kept home. Her parents very aware of the fallout that would occur. Sure enough, the grapevine confirmed their fears, and made them much more confident that keeping her home the day before was a wise decision. Had it not been for their daughter's participation in cheer, which was to perform at a home game this evening, she likely would've been absent for the remainder of the week.

They extended their oversight for as long as they could; which meant that Penny did not ride the bus this morning, no, she was dropped off by her father. Pulling up to the school, his eyes scanned the premises like a vigilant park warden. Any sight of a blue kitten adorning a tan sweater and ash-gray pants was to be grounds for a personal escort of his daughter into the school.

Fortunate for Penny Fitzgerald, Gumball was nowhere to be seen as she got out of the car.

"I mean it." Patrick reminded her sternly, clutching the steering wheel a tad too tight when his name came to mind, "I better not hear you so much as talked to him. Understand?"

"Yes father." Penny sighed, head hing. "I understand."

With that, he was off, checking his rearview ever so often as he made the turn to the exit from the drop-off lane, to the avenue. So sporadic was he with his sight, he nearly rear-ended another parent who backed from commiting to turn. A few ambient snickers could be heard.

"Wonderful." Penny glowered, "Today is going to be _just_ peachy."

Right as rain, she wasn't but ten steps into the school upon sighting him. To her instant relief, Gumball seemed invested in a conversation with his rabbit sister, the two seemingly en route to the library. Looking towards the left, where she was headed, she saw Carrie tending to her locker. For whatever reason, this made her uneasy. She had heard from friends that they had seen her and Gumball out for a movie the night before. Part of her was a bit surprised, with how infatuated the cobalt cat had been with her, it sure seemed his transition from one muse to the other was rather expedient, if not a little unsettling.

"Hey, you're back!" A familiar voice startled the antlered fairy as she whirled around to see Teri and her cousin.

"Oh, hey girls" Penny forced a smile. "I didn't miss any practice, did I?"

"Nope." Teri replied, "We figured you'd be back today, so we rescheduled it to right after school."

"Perfect." Penny grinned, a slight weight taken off.

Leslie however, was more than ready to replace it. "How are you feeling? You know, after what _he_ did to you."

Penny was totally oblivious to what Gumball had endured the day before, and the twisted tale that had mascarade for truth.

"I think I'll be alright." Penny shrugged as they followed Penny to her locker. "I tried to reason with him, but he just wouldn't back down… her started yelling at me. I'm not used to that."

"Disgusting." Leslie muttered.

"It is what it is." Penny sighed, a tear threatened to fall. "If he won't listen to reason, then I guess I... have no choice."

"Not gonna lie to ya, girl," Masami floated into view, having heard their conversation, "You should've just told him then and there what you think! Letting someone push you around like that, you should've told us!"

"What? No, that would've just made it worse-look, I get you girls are concerned, but it's over now; time to just accept it and move on."

"Maybe you will," Leslie glared, "But we won't. He isn't getting away with treating you like dirt!"

"Good luck with that." Penny muttered, leaving the girls plotting their next move. She had a feeling that today wasn't going to be the best.

Gumball's morning so far had been for the most part, uneventful, which was good. The glares were still laser sharp, and the commentary was still caustic as ever, but the physical assaults and projectiles seemed to have died with the first day, a relief. Still, he decided to go with his sister to the library anyway; she seemed to like to have someone to talk to while she was prepping for class, anyway."

Anais had a Geography book open, reviewing some methodology and practicing on some scrap paper. A literature and history textbook also sat nearby, soon to be under her review. Gumball sat across from her, bored out of his mind. The rather interesting conversation about the merits of using a microwave to make s'mores was cut short by Anais insisting that time was of the essence, and that she _had_ to hit the books. It was finals week for the eighth graders, and she wasn't about to be a slouch.

Tapping fingers idly to the beat of a song in his head was shushed, attempts to idly converse were rebuked, and it seemed that his next half-hour was destined to be dreadful if he didn't do something.

"Hey sis, I hate to leave you here," Gumball began as he got from his chair. "But, not gonna lie, I'm bored stiff. I'll see ya around lunch, okay?"

"Alright, Gumball." Anais answered quickly, not bothering to divert her focus from her studies.

Gumball couldn't help a warm smile as he watched her for a brief moment. He was always impressed by her brains and her academic prowess, but watching that little mind at work was, as much as she would repulse the thought, adorable. He wished at times he could be like her; which seemed funny considering he was four times her age. Nicole seemed intent on fostering her prodigy; she was proud to show off her daughter's smarts. Gumball? Handsome and a sense of humor. That was about the end of it.

Heading down the hall, he noticed it was devoid of the usual suspects who had given him a hard time the day before. This was nice for sure, and a sense of relief maintained until he rounded the corner towards Mrs. Simian's room. Upon seeing Penny, his calm collection quickly faltered. The two made eye contact, with Penny very quickly looking away.

"Hey, Penny!" Gumball called as he walked a little faster, "Wait up!"

"Gumball, I can't…" her voice was hardly audible, and it seemed Gumball didn't hear it as he kept his stride. Much to her dismay, he was stopped and surrounded by a gang of girls.

"Just what the hell do you think _you're_ doing!" Masami had sparks popping from her darkened form. Leslie, Rachel, and Teri, all were livid and seemingly repulsed by his presence. Not something he wasn't familiar with at this point, but that didn't make it any less irritating.

"Leave her alone you...you monster!" Teri "smacked" Gumball in the face. He hardly blinked.

Gumball let out an annoyed groan as his attempts to sidestep the blockade proved futile.

"Look, I get you think that I did something, but-"

"But nothing. you prick!" Masami growled, "Stay away from her, or you'll regret it!"

"Yeah!" Leslie added, getting in the cat's face. "You think you can just treat her like dirt, yell at her, tell her what to do? Nobody treats my cousin like that, and gets away with it!"

 _So, it looks like she decided not to clear anything up._ Gumball lamented in his head. _Nice._

A tap on the shoulder startled him, looking behind, he was now encircled; Jamie, Sarah, and Carmen leered at him, seemingly prepared to pounce. The group began closing in.

Penny was conflicted. Instincts very much told her to stop this, whatever they were going to do to him, it wasn't right. On the other hand, interference would only enrage her parent's further. Her mind volleyed back and forth as the her ex was moments away from being battered.

"STOP IT!" A loud, commanding voice halted the circle who turned with surprise, or in Masami's case, with dismay, at Penny, who looked daggers at them. "Leave him alone!"

"W-what?" Leslie was bewildered. "B-but, you said he…"

"What, this morning?" Penny was beyond furious at this point. "I was talking about my dad!"

The look of complete shock on everyone's face compelled her to continue.

"If anyone should be called a heartbreaker… it should be me. _I'm_ the one who broke up with Gumball, did you guys seriously think he… abused me? That's ridiculous!"

"But Masami said-" Sarah was cut off as they looked for the cloud who had apparently disappeared. Suddenly, it dawned on them.

"Masami lied, whatever she said." Penny growled, albeit shaking as she recalled the words of her father. "I didn't want to break up with him, mom and dad _made_ me. They said he is a delinquent and a degenerate, and that I am not allowed to be with him anymore...I can't even be his friend…"

She was visibly crying now, Carmen, Teri, and Leslie approaching her with concern.

"...I loved him, and he loved me, too… Sure he had his flaws, but, I couldn't imagine being with anyone else-To know that you all would just turn on him, putting my name on a bunch of lies, just so you had an excuse to hurt him! Leave him alone; and leave _me_ alone!" With an ice cold glare cast to the girls who now looked guilty as sin, Penny retreated into the classroom, tearful and torn. The girls watched in disbelief, finally turning to Gumball who looked both surprised, and indignant.

Teri hung her head in shame. "We didn't mean to…"

"Just forget it!" Gumball snapped. "You heard her, just leave me alone."

The group did as they were told, and filed into the classroom, all but Leslie had looks of embarrassment and shame on their faces.

"Hey…" A soft voice caught Gumball's attention, turning to see a friendly face. "...you okay?"

Gumball felt a tinge of warmth seeing Carrie, though it hardly had an effect amidst the sea of darkness that stormed about. "No."

He was startled that he felt her hug him, this surprise quickly turned to relief, then comfort as he returned the hug. Letting go, he wiped a tear from his eye.

"I feel bad for her." Gumball mumbled, "I mean, on one hand, I guess I'm glad it wasn't _her_ that dumped me, but… What am I doing? I shouldn't be talking about this. How.."

"Hey, it's fine." Carrie smiled, "She's my friend too you know?"

"I know, but we're dating. You're kinda not supposed to dwell on...well, other girls."

"Gumball…" Carrie was a bit put off, though she pushed that aside. "Long story short, I don't care."

"Oh." Gumball replied, "I mean, I don't really, like her anymore, but…"

"Dude, chill." Carrie was on the verge of laughter, "You don't have to explain yourself like that. It's kind of annoying, anyway."

"Sorry." Gumball shuffled nervously, "I guess I'm just used to having to. ...You're really cool, you know that?"

Carrie put an arm around the cat who flinched again. "So I've heard."

"Hey!" The two turned to see Darwin waving a fin from the classroom door. "Bell's about to ring, get in here!"

For the duration of the first half of the day, Gumball let that incident sink in. While the closure was certainly welcome, it did very little to extinguish the guilt her felt on two fronts: On one end, he felt like a bad friend for putting Penny in the situation he did, while he didn't intend to, she likely knew that he and Carrie were a couple; and, compounding this with the rumors and accusations which swirled around before Penny's parents put their foot down, Gumball probably looked like a player to her more than a friend.

Opposite this, was Carrie. He felt foolish for being so fixated on the girl he was supposed to have moved on from.

All in all, he feared killing two mockingbirds with one stone.

One thing he would admit though, it was nice to have everyone off his back. The parade of stares and slander that ensured yesterday was a day to forget, were gone now, some even replaced with sympathy underlined with apologies. Regardless, he wasn't much for conversation during break periods. Carrie, various classmates, and even Darwin were given the silent treatment.

Though, his brother wasn't going to put up with it.

"Hey, Gumball." Darwin poked Gumball's cheek with the eraser tip of a pencil. "Gumball~"

"What?" Gumball finally snapped, though not so much angry as annoyed.

Darwin flinched. "I… was wondering if you wanted to be partners for our history project. We're supposed to make that model, remember?" The goldfish tried an angle, "I can write the report if you just wanna build stuff, you're a pretty good artist…"

Gumball's silence and seeming indifference flipped a panic switch in Darwin's head.

"...U-Unless you want to be partners with Carrie-totally understand. I'm not trying to get in your way or anything, I was just…" His voice hushed to a whisper, "I had to be partners with Suzie last time...we got a 'C-'."

Gumball sighed, moping about things wasn't going to help, and it seemed to be scaring his brother.

"Sure. I bet Anais has done it before, too, so she could help us out."

"Are you sure, dude?" Darwin wanted very much to appear passive, "I mean, because if you wanna do it with Carrie, I-"

Gumball put a patronizing hand on his brother's head, talking nice and slow. "If I didn't want to be your partner, I would've said so. OK?"

Only now did he realize he had the project sheet on his desk… along with some incomplete work from previous periods. He was so caught up in his own stink, that he had apparently spaced out for the better part of three hours. Giving it a look over while Darwin hummed a happy tune and went back to his desk, he noticed some interesting things. Yes, this project was history related: family history.

* * *

Nicole had decided today, that she would stop by the house for lunch. She had assigned her husband simple and straightforward list of chores that were to be completed by the time she got home. Part of her was a bit giddy to see him panic at her early return. Richard basically acted like her kids did when that station wagon pulled curbside. If they were clear of any trouble, it was a comforting sight. If the opposite was true, well, their stomachs did twists, and turns.

As she figured, Richard was on the couch, a spread of junk food and litter covered the coffee table before him. Nicole very much wanted to startle him by unlocking the door, but to her dismay for more reasons than one, it was unlocked.

No, instead, she got her kicks by barking at him.

"Why the hell is the door unlocked, Richard?" Nicole had very legitimate concern, though it was mostly masked with a sinister craving for tormenting the father of her two children.

Richard did not assemble words, or sentences, no, instead, he spilled soda on the carpet in a spastic fit of panic. His miserable attempt to collect the mess on the coffee table, only created a new one consisting of dip and crumbs.

"I came home to make some lunch." Nicole announced as she passed behind the couch and made her way towards the kitchen. "Would you like a sandwich?"

Richard was still beat from his fit. "Sure… thing.. hon."

"Pefect." Nicole tried her best to calm her nerves. Every crackle of a wrapper, every crunch of a chip made her wince. She could only be thankful her biological and adopted children took more after her in the sanitation department… for the most part anyway.

The sandwiches were nothing extraordinary. Hers consisted of oat nut bread with roast beef, swiss cheese, mayonnaise, mustard. and a thin slice of turkey. She was tempted to add some ruffled potato chips; an addition which her eldest child had shown her, insisting that it added a satisfying crunch and a savory kick of salt to his own sandwiches, but that would involve returning to the living room; affording her a view of whatever mess Richard was still making.

Speaking of which, his assembly consisted of white bread-his favorite, with two slices of turkey, cheddar, and swiss, and some bacon which she had to cook. For whatever reason, her eyes fell on a picture hung above the counter, one depicting the Watterson family: Nicole, Richard, Gumball, Darwin, and Anais; all smiling for the camera, dressed casually.

All three of her kids had been rather high maintenance these last few days. So much so, that she forgot about more than a few dates, mostly work-related. A missed email about a schedule adjustment, a poorly timed meeting invitation; but something else seemed to be missing. She mentally grasped for it in the dark while she physically seasoned and fried the bacon, it's cracking sizzle making her stomach protest its apparent lack of food to digest.

It certainly involved one of her kids; though for the life of her, two and two stubbornly refused to make four without a fight. This was grating at her as she poured some tea and called Richard in to eat.

Richard was more than delighted to not have to fend for himself for lunch. "Looks great babe, thanks!"

"No problem. It's nice to be home without the kids." Her smile shrunk slightly, "I see you haven't gotten much done yet."

Richard grew visibly uncomfortable as he took a dainty bite of his sandwich. "Well...I _was_ going to do the kids' laundry, but…"

"Please just have it done by the time I get home from work." She sighed.

"Right! We have Darwin's appointment tonight, don't we?"

Lightbulb.

"Darwin's...appointment?"

"Uh oh~," Richard teased, "Did a certain someone forget?"

Nicole stammered. "Well-I, uh, I knew we had something… It's been a crazy few weeks. You know that."

"Uh huh." The fat rabbit practically inhaled the remainder of his food, earning a wince from his wife. "Well, thanks for the food, hon. I'm… off to do some laundry!" With that, he was gone.

She spent some time eating her food in relative peace. Angry with herself for forgetting Darwin's appointment. She was even more upset she hadn't come up with a cunning distraction for her other kids, who certainly would question why they were taking Darwin some place they could not go. She didn't worry much about Gumball, he was more than aware of his brother's situation. Anais on the other hand, was not, and frankly, Nicole wanted to keep it that way.

Darwin since his introduction into Elmore Jr. High, had been registered to the school as a "pet fish". In a world with sentient dinosaurs and animate inanimates, this wasn't the red flag. Adoption was expensive. It wasn't until recently that they could even consider affording to go through with the process. Not that they had much of a choice; they had to within a year of his tenth birthday.

Tonight, was his visit with his case manager. Regardless of the fact he was brought into their home as a pet fish, grew legs, and knew their home only, he had a "right to self-determination", and if for some reason, he felt he would be happier elsewhere, there wasn't a damn thing Nicole could do about it. Pushing the weight of that possibility aside, she wrote a reminder on the calendar.

WIthout a word, she then returned to work.


	17. The Lie

_**A/N:** Sorry for the long delay, this chapter has been a beast to get done. So much so, that it is being broken up into parts again. Due to personal things, and a simple desire to not get tired of writing this, I will be putting this on hold. Most of the next chapter is already done, but don't expect to see it until January 2016. As always, comments, criticism; always welcome. Thanks for reading._

* * *

Anais was spent: one side of her head flat on the desk, the other affording her a lopsided view of a corner of the classroom. While her senior peers were engaged in conversation and camaraderie, forming a chaotic blend of unintelligible noise; she opted to keep to herself. She had no need to be someone's plaything. nor the subject of half-condescending swooning or "baby talk".

They didn't seem to hate her, though: Three unused textbooks that served as her booster seat were always reset on her chair, despite her taking them back to the bookshelf every day after class. Whoever did this of course, remained anonymous; such a simple act it seemed, needed no recognition. Her teachers seemed to like her, too. Both from fascination with her intellect and interest, and as an object of fascination; a child prodigy was always interesting.

None of that of course was at the fore of her thoughts, no, she had heard about what had gone down between Penny and Gumball; she worried about how he was taking it. She also had, by way of her usual ear to her parent's door in the middle of the night, had overheard something about Darwin. Anais couldn't make most of the worlds, it was all muffled gibberish, but she could tell her mother's tone wasn't the brightest, one would even say her mother sounded uneasy, uncertain that whatever was to occur, would have a happy outcome.

It hadn't seemed like much time had passed, though Anais was nudged by a classmate, one whose name she had become familiar with.

"Hey, you're Darwin's little sister, right?"

"Huh?" Anais slurred, stirring from her daydreaming, and noticed who was talking to her. "Yeah."

"Could get this to him for me? I meant to catch him before school, but my brother made us late. Something about forgetting an assignment at home or something. Idiot."

"Sure." Anais nodded, taking a curious glance at the folded paper Rachel gave her. It appeared to be an invitation to a party tonight. Thinking nothing of it, Anais folded the invite, placing it in her schoolbag. She then hopped down, and prepared to pluck the top book from her "booster stack", only to see that Rachel had taken all three at once.

"Thank you." Anais said, albeit a bit muted. She got no response, with the girl having somehow returned the books to the shelf, and leaving before Anais could notice.

It didn't take long to find Darwin and Gumball at their lockers, the former looking her way and offering a gentle wave; the later not bothering with it.

Darwin walked over to her, the noise around them sure to keep the cat out of earshot.

"Look out, he's a little grumpy, today." Darwin informed her, glancing back as Gumball slammed his locker shut.

Anais knew already, but was curious anyway. "What happened?"

"Eh, there was a little drama this morning." Darwin explained as they trailed behind their brother, now bound for the bus, "Basically, Gumball can't talk to Penny ever again."

"Yikes." Anais responded as she watched her eldest sibling stomp down the hall with heavy feet.

Darwin felt a tad awkward walking with his sister. "How was your day, Anais?"

"It was fine. I think I did okay on my finals—Oh! I have something for you."

"What is it?" Darwin asked as he watched her sift through some binders and loose paper.

"An invitation it looks like." Anais took out the folded invite, and gave it to the fish who inspected it carefully, eyes lighting up as his eyes reached the end. Anais could clearly see, her adoptive brother was as smitten as could be.

An excited squeal escaped his tight grin, " _Rachel_ is inviting _me_ to a party?"

"I thought you guys went to one before?" Anais asked as the two began walking again.

"Well yeah but," Darwin explained, " _My name is underlined!_ "

Anais couldn't helped her screwed expression. "I honestly don't get what difference that makes."

Darwin was unresponsive, humming a happy tune to himself in rhythm with the spring in his step. A sharp contrast to what was just several yards forward. A crabby, cranky cat who seemed incapable of anything but stomping and grumbling to himself. The few times said grumbling was audible, Anais could swear she caught some profanity.

"Hey." The voice startled Anais, who jumped; but seemed to completely miss Darwin. Anais turned to see Carrie floating behind her.

"Uhm, hey." Anais responded awkwardly.

"He's still in a bad mood, I see." The ghost noted with a frown, starting in the direction of the fearsome feline.

Anais found herself a tad surprised. "He's been avoiding you, too?"

"Yeah. Well, I guess I just figured to leave him alone, y'know?" Carrie reasoned, "I know I like to be alone when I'm in a bad mood."

Darwin seemed to ease out of his trance, noticing Carrie; oblivious to the conversation at hand. "Hey Carrie!"

"Yeah?"

Darwin's immense grin was nearly unsettling. "Guess who got an invitation to _Rachel's_ party tonight?"

"...You?"

"AW, YEAH~" Darwin squaled with excitement. Anais and Carrie couldn't help be amused by his jubilation.

Gumball was somewhat aware his siblings were lagging behind his pouty parade, but glancing back after hearing Darwin shout, he noticed Carrie, too was keeping her distance. He stopped for a moment, partially watching them converse out of the corner of his eye, his fists loosened, his teeth unclenched. As the adrenaline receded, so did his recollection of why he was so cranky to begin with.

"Not much you can do about it, Gumball." He mumbled to himself. "If Penny's at the party, then Penny's at the party. I'm not going to let an antlered alpha peanut ruin my good time."

With his resolve transitioned from thought, to oral statement, the cat slowly walked back towards the trio who turned to him. Anais looked nervous, Carrie looked indifferent, and Darwin still wore a face that could only suit one who was half over the moon.

"Finally calmed down?" Anais asked.

"Yeah." Gumball replied sheepishly, eyes evading the three for a moment. "Sorry about that."

Darwin, seeing his brother was in better spirits, unfolded the invitation and held it in Gumball's view like a child proudly presenting their "art".

Gumball couldn't help the sly grin at Darwin's enthusiasm. "Bet you're pretty excited, huh?"

"Yeah!" Darwin bounced, the four resuming to homebound walk. "Can I borrow some of your cologne?"

"Eh...we'll see." Gumball teased. It seemed Darwin's infantile excitement was infectious. Gumball walked beside Carrie, who smiled at him.

"You uh, you're gonna go to the party, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Carrie winked. "I was wondering though, if you wanted to come over before the party."

"I'd love to." Gumball grinned, "See you later then?"

"Yeah." Carrie replied, hesitating a bit before floating over to Gumball and kissing him on the cheek, revealing her tomato-red face as she began to float across the street towards her house.

"This is gonna be _so cool_!" Darwin squealed with joy as he refused to take his eyes off the invitation, each read of his name in _her_ handwriting seemed to recycle the euphoria and happiness that refused to let him be.

"Well that's great, you guys get to go to a party." Anais whined, "What am _I_ going to do?"

"I dunno." Gumball answered, "Spend some quality time with Mom and Dad?"

"Oh yeah, that could be fun." Anais reasoned.

Their journey home consisted mostly of them listening to Darwin blather on about Rachel, how pretty she was; how much fun the last party was; rinse and repeat. Had Gumball not had his own thoughts revolving around Carrie; he would've likely taken that broken record, and smashed it.

Overall though, the trio was pretty happy. Today had gone fairly well, morning aside, and now, they had a party to look forward to.

Gumball's smile quickly faded, when they rounded the corner to their street.

His tail stiffened, his ears perked as the flash of surprise from seeing the family car curbside was replaced with unease. Nicole had pulled him aside and mentioned that she and Richard were to speak with the adoption agency about Darwin; he just spaced on the fact that had reared its ugly head for his minds eye to see: it was tonight.

"What's Mrs. Mom doing home early?" Darwin's question was of zero comfort to the unresponsive cat. Instead of an explanation, Darwin simply watched as Gumball walked into the house, briefly catching a view of his peterved face.

Darwin was going to outsource his inquiry to Anais, however, she too had disappeared into the house before he could so much as notice. He thought nothing of the rabbit; his mind fixated on the rapid inversion of Gumball's mood. With trepidation, he followed his sibling's footsteps, and slowly pushed open the front door, not daring to advance to quickly, lest that sinking feeling he felt manifest itself behind the door and strike him.

Instead, he saw Richard was slumped on the couch, a generous spread of chips, dip, and tupperware of leftovers ranging from empty and stained, to full and likely spoiled. The television was tuned to a popular game show, and the portly rabbit seemed to be enjoying himself.

Looking up the staircase as he stealthily walked towards the kitchen, he did not see or hear Anais and Gumball in the hallway; they had likely retreated to their rooms by now. As one foot went before another, as if he were treading within a minefield, Darwin finally reached the entrance to the kitchen. Upon rounding the doorframe, he saw NIcole, sitting by herself at the opposite end of the dining table. She seemed preoccupied with a few papers, distance and perspective prohibiting his eyes from making out the words on them.

For a moment, Darwin stalled, peering over with his feet still planted just inches from the transitional strip between the laminate of the dining room, and the carpet. An abrupt, unsolicited guffaw from Richard startled Darwin enough to send him falling face-first into the floor.

That seemed to get Nicole's attention, as the moment he opened his eyes, he saw her kneeling over him.

"Darwin, are you alright?" Nicole helped him up as she brushed him off.

Darwin kept his gaze down, still very unsettled. "Is something wrong, Mrs. Mom?"

Nicole hesitated as she stood upright and gestured Darwin to take a seat across from her. "I wouldn't say anything is wrong, but we do need to talk about something."

"W...what is it?"

Nicole sat back down in her chair, with Darwin seated opposite. "We'll be having a meeting with your caseworker this evening. Remember that woman who met us at your school a few months ago?"

Darwin was still clearing the dust from his rattled thoughts. As the image of the woman, a bipedal humanoid, in some respects, similar to the WIlsons; dressed in professional wear, thick glasses…

"Mmhm." Still, it seemed he wasn't sure he was following Nicole's lead.

She seemed to notice this. "Honey, remember what we talked about with her?"

His blank stare and indifference seemed to suggest he didn't.

"Right…" Nicole breathed. "Well, when fish, or any pet grow legs; begin to talk, they become what they call, "sentient". It means you aren't a pet, you're an individual. You have your own thoughts, feelings, you're like us."

"Ookay…" Darwin was still confused. "Uh, Mrs. Mom?"

"Yes, Darwin?"

Darwin smiled. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Well-yes, it's a very good thing. The only, maybe not-so-good thing about it, is that we can't just keep you. You see, we'd have to adopt you."

Darwin's face skewed. "I thought you already did?"

"You're very much a part of this family, and we all love you very much; but no, honey, you haven't been _officially_ adopted. Because of the special circumstances, it takes time, and money..."

' _Especially, money.'_ Nicole lamented internally.

"Oh."

Nicole waited a bit, tapping her fingers lightly, hoping a lightbulb would go off in Darwin's head.

"So, you, along with Richard and I, have a meeting tonight with people who can help us. They're going to explain things to you, and we can get this all sorted out, alright?"

"Okay-" Darwin's expression went from passive to panicked in an instant. "T-Tonight?! It can't be tonight, Mrs. Mom! I'm invited to Rachel's party!"

For the first time in this exchange, Nicole felt a little pang in her chest. While on one hand, she was happy he didn't grasp the full gravity of their situation, she was a tad bothered Gumball never brought up this "party".

"I'm sorry, Darwin," she frowned, "I wish your brother would've told me you two had plans."

"Alright." Darwin said with a defeated sigh. "I understand."

With that, he left the kitchen, devastated and downcast.

Gumball was the first to notice Darwin's shift in mood. Mostly because he saw his glum face in the bathroom mirror's reflection.

"Hey buddy, what's wrong?"

"Mrs. Mom says I can't go to the party." Darwin moped.

Gumball froze like a deer in headlights. He knew full well this was happening, and prepared for screaming, swings, and shouting. None came. Instead, the door to their bedroom was gently shut. Gumball turned back to the mirror, and resumed his grooming. While Darwin wasn't going to the party, he very much was.

* * *

As if Nicole didn't have enough on her mind, she was now running around the house, frantically searching drawers, boxes, and every square inch of the floor. She had written a check for their appointment, $7,000 to be exact. Something that, given the family's expenses, was not easy to lump sum. Three months of saving.

The upfront costs seemed exuberant. Though it was justified by the fact that Darwin was basically undocumented, and that the fees required for that documentation, medical expenses, the legal fees for the eventual hearing, the fees for the home visit; and some ridiculous spiel about "insurance" to be used if Darwin was to move to a new family. Regardless, Nicole was very proud of herself for making it this far. Or, at least she had been.

That check was missing. High and low she scoured the home, even the yard; to no avail. The only thing she got from her efforts, was her children's curiosity.

Anais and Gumball both watched from the base of the staircase, as their mother made another futile round of lifting couch cushions.

Anais walked beside her and peeked under the couch. "Did we lose the remote again?"

Nicole let the cushion she had propped, plop back to the couch, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Have either of you kids seen a check lying around? Mommy needs it for something _very, very_ important."

"Hmm…" Gumball put a finger to his chin in thought, got nothing, then shrugged. "Nope."

As she got to her feet, she stepped on a potato chip that had somehow missed her first two passes of the living room. It reminded her of something...and someone. All color drained from her face.

 _Oh god...please no…anything but that!_

"Mom?" Anais tugged Nicole's shirt, concern in her voice. "You don't look too good, maybe you should just take it easy for-"

"Where's your father?" Nicole asked no one in particular.

Both kids seemed stumped for a moment.

"You sent him to the store to get a loaf of white bread, peanut butter, and milk." Anais recalled as she counted the items with her fingers. Looking toward where her mother had been, she saw the ceiling; looking towards the window, she saw Nicole, staring outside. Both her kids joined her, and saw the object of her fixation.

Soon enough, it came through the door.

"Hey honey!" Richard smiled, "Look what I got? I got the bread, milk, and peanut butter like you…"

Nicole's look killed his train of thought. It was piercing, calculated, and gleaming.

"Richard," Nicole said slowly, her syllables deliberate and clear, "Did you by chance see a check anywhere in the house? It was for _a lot_ of money."

"Oh that thing?" Richard waved a dismissive paw, "I already cashed it honey, don't wo-"

"You _what!?"_ Nicole exploded. Her head scrambled. "W-where is the cash, then?"

"Well," Richard's smile returned, sending Nicole's stomach into twist. "That's where this surprise comes from, ta-da!" Richard triumphantly produced a shiny necklace, "You like it?"

Nicole's left eye twitched.

Anais was first to speak, her suspicion piqued, "Dad, where did you get this?" The inquisitive kit took the necklace and scrutinized its material. "This is plastic. And the 'ruby' pendant? ...That's plastic, too."

"Yeah." Gumball agreed, "Looks like a toy prize in a box of Daisy Flakes."

"Aww!" Richard pouted, "The man said it was his great-great-great-grandmother's, and was really special!"

Finally, she snapped. Her eyes went wide, and the veins along her paws began to bulge, using every ounce of her energy not to send one of them sailing into that frightened rabbit. With an eerie calm, collected demeanor, she walked past her husband, and to the front door.

"Kids," she began, voice borderline monotone "Please go upstairs. Your father and I need a moment alone."

Anais and Gumball did as they were told, with Anais following Gumball into his room. Their door was much closer to the staircase, and thus, with her ear against it, she could hear.

She regretted that ability very quickly, as the words her mother was shouting were anything but age-appropriate.

Gumball's attention was set on a certain fish who seemingly retreated into the sandcastle of his aquarium. The kitten lightly tapped on the glass of the tank. No response. With an exhale, Gumball then looked over to his sister, who looked unsettled.

"She letting him have it?" Gumball asked as he walked up to the door.

"Yeah." Anais ears drooped, matching the shape of her frown, "What did he do?"

Gumball was a bit surprised. "Wait, seriously, sis? He took a check for $7,000, and was scammed into buying a-"

Anais stomped. "No! I mean what did he do to deserve what she's saying to him?" She extended her paw towards the door, prompting Gumball to put his own ear against the door. Unlike his sister however, he propped over the slight space between the door and the frame, affording clear reception of the profanity broadcast from the opposite end of the house.

"Damn." Gumball snickered. "He really messed up. She is _pissed_."

"Gumball!"

Suddenly, Gumball shushed her, the commotion had calmed, and footsteps could be heard coming upstairs. The two backed from the door, it opened, revealing Richard, who looked for all intents and purposes, fine.

Anais rushed to him with a hug. "You alright, dad?"

"Relax sweetie, daddy's fine. Things just happen sometimes, you know?"

"That didn't sound like 'things just happen'." Gumball noted, "That _sounded_ like 'you're this close to sleeping on the couch; or the car… or six feet under.'"

His son's comment seemed to sail thousands of miles above, as he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Mom says you need to go downstairs and talk to her."

"Oh… lovely." Gumball frowned. "Now it's my turn."

Despite his remark, he was in no way cautious when descending the stairs, or crossing the living room, nor rounding the kitchen entrance. Sitting across from his mother who seemed to be going over some kind of brochure, a opened bottle of painkiller sat nearby.

"Dad said you wanted to see me?"

"Sorry about earlier, honey." Nicole apologized, "But yes, your friend Carrie called, and wanted to see if you would go to her house before your party."

Whatever Gumball had been thinking about was a lost cause. "Did you say I would?"

"I did. I figured you'd want to get out of here, anyway." Nicole smiled slightly, "Is he okay?"

"Considering you tore him a new one, and followed it up with a gallon of salt, he seems fine."

"I meant Darwin, sweetheart."

"Oh, I dunno," Gumball shrugged, "He's hidden in his sandcastle. I tried talking to him, but he won't come out so…"

"Guess I'll deal with him later. Not that I have any choice." Nicole said as she got up and went for the car keys. "Let's get you going."


	18. The Cause

_**A/N**_ _ **:**_ _Sorry this took about 1 1/2 months. Actually, wait, I told you I was going to take my time with this one, didn't I? I would expect this to be normal now. A month between chapters. This lets me keep pace with my MLP fanfic, and life things. Hope you enjoy. Don't forget to let me know what you think._

* * *

The ride to the Kruger house was quick and devoid of conversation, save for a "have fun, please be safe", followed by "I will." Neither seemed interested in broaching the elephant in the room, as Gumball was distracted, and Nicole needed some time away from it all.

It may have been for that reason among others, that there was a slight spring in Gumball's step as he exited the car, waved his mother goodbye, and approached the front door of the Kruger residence. A slight hesitation, the reason never realized, preceded a rhythmic wrap upon the door. Just moments later, it creaked open to reveal Carrie, with Vlad descending the staircase behind them.

"Ah, Gumball!" Vlad greeted with a tip of his cap, "Taking my daughter away again, are we?"

"I'm only stealing her for tonight." Gumball smiled wryly, "You can have her back by tonight."

Vlad was more that tickled pink that Gumball seemed casual around him. His broad smile dampened a bit, though.

"Not so fast there sport." The bony bachelor beckoned the kitten inside. "I'm afraid we have something to talk to you about."

Confused by the sudden chill in the air, Gumball cast a curious glance to Carrie, who only offered a look of knowing concern. She wasn't so much uneased or visibly upset; it was more that she knew something he didn't, and wasn't looking forward to changing that.

No words were said as the two youths made their way into the library. Gumball seemed to notice some things as they entered the clearing of the room. Most prominent in his sight, was the desk which sat in the center of the circular room whose walls wore towering shelves featuring tomes and teachings of various age. Behind the oak desk, was a antique globe, with various thumbtacks pinned in various locations; a large cluster centered around Elmore.

The desktop was more interesting, and seemed to be the point of interest. Upon it, surrounded by a near-empty inkwell, a dried quill, and some handwritten notes on what seemed to be victorian-era stationary; was a large book. Upon the opened pages, was fanciful cursive, along with diagrams and some hardly legible annotations along the edges of the right page.

There was but one problem. Gumball couldn't read cursive well, if at all. Fortunate for him, it seemed he wouldn't need to. He looked to Vlad as the man cleared his throat, his eyes fixed on the book before them.

"It appears as if you kids made quite a mess in The Void…" Vlad began, calm yet cautious with his words. Carrie's regular sass and spark was nowhere to be found. She seemed as attentive as Gumball had ever seen.

"You may have escaped The Darkness, but by no means did you _defeat_ it." Vlad continued, curtseying past Carrie as he sat at the chair under the desk, which groaned with a sharp creak, as if it was crying for some WD-40 and some spit shine.

"I'd be a liar if I didn't say I was somewhat worried about this, but I had assumed Carrie would have remembered the very most important rule of The Void." A stern glance at the ghost girl made her flinch. He then turned to Gumball, who was beyond startled by the dissatisfied expression on Vlad's face.

"You're supposed to finish what you started."

A lull in his lecture seemed to make Gumball even more nervous. Carrie's inaction didn't help that at all. The kitten's eyes darted around, fingers fidgeting; hot under the collar. The only thing he wasn't at the moment, was able to pull words from thought.

After a bit, Vlad sighed, running his hand over his face. A weak smile returning.

"I think you two are safe for tonight, but things are going to get weird."

That smile seemed to make Gumball assume conversation was casual.

"How is that different from any other day in Elmore?"

You know what happens when you assume.

Gumball certainly felt like he made an ass of himself, the expressions of the two before him seemed to make clear that this wasn't a trivial matter.

"Right…" Gumball looked around nervously as he scratched behind his head. "So, what do we do?"

"If you want to see next week; you're gonna have to settle the score."

"With who?"

"I think the question you're looking for, is 'With what?', kid. Hate to say it, but only you three would know what that 'what' is, and how to deal with it. Void's a mysterious place: It acts both for our world, and against it."

Another lull, Vlad idly skimming through some of the pages of the book as if he were looking for something, but simply returned his stare to Gumball. His face seemed to have softened, his posture relaxed.

"Eh, You'll figure it out." Vlad waved a dismissive hand, "For tonight, enjoy yourselves. Care Bear will fill you in on what's up later, I'm sure."

Again, the usual expression of disgust for the sugar-coated nickname was absent. In its place, was a simple sigh, and an offer of a "hand" to her date.

"We should get going if we want to be early." Carrie said simply, fetching a nearby vile and handing it to Gumball who simply held it in front of his face like it was some unfamiliar substance.

"But… what about…" Gumball was beyond uneasy and unpleasant. He felt almost indignant towards their blunt changes in tone and temperament.

"Not now, boy." Vlad pat the cat on the back, "You have a party to attend, do you not?"

* * *

Nicole had been enjoying flipping through a magazine which featured clothes she could never afford, and attraction she could never achieve. Her reasoning of course, was that she was middle-aged, and the mother of two children, her days of fronting and being an object of flattery were over. Despite the disparity the rag would remind her of, it was a nice escape from what was to come.

Reality was cruel, though, and Anais seemed happy to do its bidding.

"Mom?" Anais poked her head into the bedroom. "It's fifteen till five. Don't we have to go?"

Nicole mumbled a response, clearly trying her best to ignore her daughter's insistence.

An alarm went off on her phone, the text "DARWIN'S APP" flashing on its screen. She sighed, hoping a glance at her bedside clock would prove her phone incorrect, and her time for escapism still at hand, but instead, she was prompted by the blaring red digits to get off her rear, and try to coax Darwin out of his rut.

WIth a defeated groan, she opened the door to her sons' bedroom, and was slightly jarred by how dark it was. The sun had not fully descended below the horizon, though it was sunk enough, to where the closed blinds and door were enough to make the four walls a black box of dreary darkness. Fumbling around a bit, she found the button for Gumball's bedside lamp. Darwin did not seemed moved by her entry, or the light, as she saw the aquarium empty, save for the decor, and the sandcastle.

Several light taps on the tank did nothing to change this.

"Darwin?" Nicole called softly, "Darwin? Are you in there?"

No response.

"Darwin?" Nicole began again, this time a little louder, "We need to get going here soon, I know you aren't looking forward to this; to be honest, I'm not either… but, we can't not go."

FInally, Darwin emerged from the little sand shelter, and looked anything but peppy. His first act within Nicole's sight, was a commanding yawn as he stretched his fins. Swimming to the rim of the tank, Nicole backed away slightly as he landed feet first onto a towel laid out nearby.

Darwin didn't say anything, and didn't look like there was anything he wanted to say. Nicole accepted this, and made her way downstairs. Passing the couch on her way to the kitchen, she saw Anais hard at work getting her dad off the couch.

"Come on, dad!" Anais grunted as she futility pulled on her father's leg. "You already made mom angry once, do you really want to do it again?"

"I guess not." Richard sighed as he got up, stretching from a hard day's work of sitting on the couch. "Where is she?"

"She went into the kitchen to get some things for the appointment. I'll be upstairs." With that, Anais hurried up the stairs, and stopped just short of her brothers' bedroom. Darwin was moping on the bottom bunk.

"Ready to go, Darwin?" Anais inquired. Flinching at the glare that came her way.

Without a word, Darwin got up and pushed past her. Anais cautiously followed behind, and met everyone else by the front door.

"Alright." Nicole sighed, "Let's get this over with."

* * *

By the time Carrie and Gumball had arrived, the party was in full swing. The thunderous bassline that shook the house and pulsed through the neighborhood threatened to rattle the windows from their frame. Unlike the last party, Gumball and Carrie were greeted with a smile from the eldest of the Wilson children.

"Carrie, Gumball, you made it!" Rachel smiled, tilting her head as if someone was behind them. Nothing that wasn't the case, her smile inverted. "But where's…"

"He couldn't make it." Gumball answered. "Some, uh, appointment came up and...yeah."

"Oh," Rachael's frown softened a little, "Will he be okay?"

"Oh yeah, he's super bummed he couldn't make it."

"Well…" Rachel resigned, "At least you two made it, the more the merrier." The couple were finally invited in, and the music was even more commanding than it was outside. The colored strobe lights matched the tempo and intensity of the electronic dance music that was sounding from large speakers. Around it, was a makeshift dance floor.

First however, Gumball was hungry, and a buffet awaited in the parlor room.

Gumball shotgunned a glass of punch and put on his best sultry voice, eager to put tonight's revelations aside for the sake of some fun. "So, m'lady, that dance floor looks mighty tempting, would you like a dance?"

Carrie could only giggle at his invitation. "Sure."

Soon enough, the two found themselves dancing over the checkerboard of lights, which slowly swept from color to color, creating an almost hypnotizing scene. A DJ sat at a display behind the dancefloor, the revolution of the turntables illuminated by a soft blue glow.

Gumball however, found little time to take in the spectacle below his swaying feet, for before him, were soft eyes and a smile. She had no feet with which to gracefully prance and pose as he did, but her sway and swing, synergetic with his own motion, had its own charm.

The music was initially a slow-tempo electronic tune, almost psychedelic in composition. Slowly. the wub and noise began to crossfade to a piece that was surely from the turn of the last century.

The mic cracked over the speakers as the disc jockey began to preroll, "This next one goes out to Lucy and Nigel, the star-crossed lovers right over there-here it is, from Nineteen-thirty-nine, 'Moonlight Lemonade'."

First came the brass, then the strings; it was slow, soothing, and just what Gumball wanted. It seemed as if the scenery around them melted away as he stepped in a gentle grove, finally bringing her close. Carrie loved the feel of his paws clasping her hands, she loved even more so the warmth of his body, and the tempted purr.

As the music changed, the moves did as well. Slow dancing turned to waltzing, which devolved into some sort of lively freestyle dancing which ranged from person to person; some were more conservative, spinning around, half-hearted flips and twists; others were a tad inappropriate, though if anything, it earned more laughs than leers.

Finally, the couples dispersed, idling around and casually chatting amongst themselves. Gumball found a nice, quiet corner of the parlor room, where a weathered old sofa slumped between two sparsely populated bookshelves.

"Wait right here." Gumball cultured, "I'll go get us some drinks."

* * *

Anais was beginning to dread the family car. Her recent trips in it had been anything but delightful, and the uncomfortable silence was driving her mad. It didn't help that all she could only seem to focus on either Gumball having the time of his life, or fearing what this evening had in store for the foursome.

Needless to say, the silence was golden. Everyone, including Richard, looked a mix of uneased, irritable, and antisocial. Despite knowing that any kind of utterance ran the risk of throwing a lit match on the sagebrush of tension; her anxiousness was starting to manifest as physical discomfort.

"We almost there?"

Seeing her mother flare her nostrils, and her ears drop, showed that she made a big mistake.

"No." Nicole growled. "We would be, if someone had printed directions like I had asked."

"Sorry, honey."

"I mean it, Richard." Nicole growled, "We need to make a good impression on these people. If you mess this up, you don't even want to know what I will do. Understood?"

"Answer the questions like you said; good posture; keep fingers out of nose. Check!"

"Good." Nicole nodded. "I think we finally made it."

She couldn't be sure. The strip mall this office was a part of didn't sport any signs aside from the family-owned Mexican restaurant, and a comic book store. As they walked towards the comic shop which sat at the end of the row, they noticed a dim light from behind one of the doors. Upon further inspection, the door had a name printed on it:

'ELMORE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES'

The foursome looked through the adjacent display window. They could see the reception room had no lights on, and that dim glow was from light in a lone office at the end of a short hallway; the door slightly ajar.

"Are you sure this is it, mom?" Anais questioned, getting goosebumps from the eerie sight.

"I sure hope so." Nicole muttered. "Took us well over twenty minutes to get here. I'll have their ass if they gave me the wrong street number."

Pushing the door inwards rang a bell, which seemed to startle Darwin and Anais, who hesitated to follow Nicole who had already made it to the hallway. They watched as she knocked on the door, poked her head in, and exchanged a few words. Within moments she came walking back towards them, with a brown humanoid figure in tow. Her shape reminded the children of Billie's mother, something which didn't help Anais warm up to this meeting one bit.

"Sorry about the lights." She chuckled. "Scott didn't tell me you guys were scheduled this evening." She smiled and locked eyes with Darwin who flinched. "You must be Darwin!"

"Y-yeah." Darwin's grumpy mood seemed to be supplanted by shyness for the time being,

"Why don't you all come on in? It's getting awful cold lately at night, isn't it? I'll make us some coffee and cocoa, and we can get started."

The humanoid, who had yet to introduce herself, went into another room, and soon after came out with a tray of steaming coffee, hot chocolate, and an assortment of sweeteners, and a veggie sampler. Setting it down, she turned on the lights for the lobby, and had a seat across from the Wattersons.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Darwin, Nicole; my name is Meryl, but you can call me Ms. Shaw if you'd like." She looked at Anais, "And you are?"

"Anais Watterson." Anais replied quickly. She wasn't the most socially comfortable kit, but even she surprised herself with how tense she was.

Meryl seemed to catch on to that tension. A warm smile came about her, and her posture went from formal, to relaxed and casual as she pulled a manilla folder which seemed to have paperclipped photos and papers in it. Flipping through the pages, she made various notes with her pen.

"So, Mrs. Watterson." Meryl began, "We'll begin with a few questions about your family and residence, and then I'll ask Darwin a couple questions. This shouldn't run too late."

"Oh, it's fine." Nicole answered,

"Wonderful, wonderful. So, absent your eldest son, this is your family?"

"Yes."

"Gumball is a student at the junior-high, correct?"

"That's correct. They all are."

Meryl seemed a bit shocked. Pointing to Anais. "Her included?"

"Yes." Nicole smiled at her little rabbit. "Anais is a very gifted little girl, and was allowed to advance to the junior high to accommodate her intelligence."

"Well, that's impressive." Meryl offed Anais a smile as well, which she returned.

"It must be scary for her, no?"

"At first we were unsure, but her brother is there, so I don't worry as much."

Writing down a few things, Meryl continued.

"So you work as a call staffer for the Rainbow Factory…"

"Correct."

"And your husband is… unemployed?"

"...that's right."

"Do you have any previous work experience, Mr. Watterson?"

Richard froze like a deer in headlights. He looked between Nicole in Meryl, eyes darting about; mouth quivering as the words moved from thought, to sound.

"No?"

"Okay…" Meryl again jotted something. Anais grew curious as to what it was.

"How much do you earn annually, Mrs. Watterson?"

"About forty grand, annually; three thousand a month."

More notes jotted down. Nicole seemed uneasy with this line of questioning.

"What is your rent or mortgage?"

"$1300 a month. We rent a two-bedroom home in the north suburbs."

"How long have you been leasing?"

"About thirteen years."

Anais grew tired of the exchange, and looked around the room. It seemed generic enough: white walls with a plastic black trim along the carpeted floor. The couches they sat on were black, some kind of fake leather; it reminded her of a white-collar break room.

As for Meryl, or as Anais would call her if they spoke again, Ms. Shaw; she was nothing to write home about. She certainly didn't look malicious. This fact disappointed the little rabbit a good deal. The place was nondescript, the lady seemed fine enough; why was she so uneasy about the outcome of this interview? Why, with each question, did her anxiety rise a notch?

She wished very much she was with her other brother at the moment. If he wasn't having fun, at least he wasn't in some boring office, in some hole-in-the-wall strip mall on the edge of suburban Elmore.

Anais was jostled from her thoughts at the sight of Ms. Shaw leading Darwin into the back room they saw earlier. From the brief glimpse of Darwin's facial expression, he didn't seem scared or upset. Though, looking up at Nicole, that anxious feeling stood its ground. While Darwin looked fine, and Richard looked passive enough, her mother seemed a bit tense and uncertain.

Richard suddenly stood up from his seat. A look that resembled a deer in headlights. Nicole instantly attentive.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I gotta go potty." Richard whispered.

* * *

As Gumball made his way through the living room, and back towards the family room, he caught Tobias, Joe, and Jamie headed towards the staircase. Without intent or inertia, Gumball could feel his face form into a threatening scowl, and his teeth clench. Tobias flinched, and his pace upstairs quickened slightly.

Gumball found this mildly amusing. He wondered how awkward that must be, to have the one kid who wouldn't need an excuse to beat the snot out of him then and there in his own house. It wasn't like anyone would fault him; the incident with Anais was hardly a secret, if anything, Gumball's defense of her, and the resulting damage and disturbance made sure of that.

With that fleeting thought, came another. While he was here, lounging around with his girl in the company of food and fun, his siblings were en route to a most unpleasant appointment.

He very much could've invited Anais to come with, and now that he thought about it, he should have; she had no dog in the race she was to be a spectator in, she had no reason to be with the family tonight other than the odd fact that Nicole didn't trust her home alone.

It was only when he nearly walked into Sarah, that he realized he had somehow walked in a circle, back into the living room, the look on Carrie's face was a mix of bewilderment and amusement.

"Lost?" Carrie nudged Gumball who was startled by the contact. This only served to amuse her even more.

"What did my dad say? We're here to party, dude." Carrie chuckled, "Of all people to be a stick in the mud, it isn't supposed to be you."

"Yeah…" Gumball grew hot with embarrassment. "I-I know. I was just-"

"On the way to getting us some some sparkling soda before it runs out, right?" Carrie was slightly assertive with her jest. It was rare she got to enjoy food like this; and she wasn't about to let Gumball's distracted mind prevent her from trying some soda.

He passed the stairwell, where he could hear yelling from upstairs. Curious getting the best of him, he ventured up to see what the commotion was.

It turns out that the source was Tobias's room. Part of him thought it wise to simply turn around, and go back downstairs, but another was curious to see what they were up to. He had heard that Tobias had a brand-new video game. One he had been dying to play for some time now.

"Hey guys." Gumball poked his head inside.

All greeted him warmly, with the exception of Tobias, who ignored him.

"You guys playin' Mid-Century War 3, huh?"

"Yeah." Banana Joe answered. "Tobias sucks at it, though."

"Do not!" Tobias growled. "What are you doing in here, Gumball?"

"I just thought I'd see what you guys were up to. You're not still mad about what happened, are you?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Tobais snorted.

"Well, I mean… it was your fault." Gumball reasoned. "But hey, bygones are bygones; how about-"

He had barely taken a step forward, and Tobias was in his face again.

"This is _my_ room, in _my_ house, now _get out!_ "

Gumball was in a rather feisty mood, and showed it by standing firm.

"Why do you have to be such a jerk, Tobias? Here I am, trying to be all nice and stuff, and you have to go ahead and just be a buttface!"

"Don't call me names in _my house!_ " Tobias barked.

"Well, then stop being an asshole!" Gumball retorted.

There were two choices that were available at this point. Tobias could apologize, and let Gumball play with them. While this was the most rational choice, it would show weakness. He would be surrendering. So, he opted for the second choice: Shove Gumball through the door, and hope he would retreat.

He did indeed shove Gumball, who fell backwards and hit his head in the doorway. But, the cat didn't retreat. No, instead, Tobias was hooked with a right before he could even see Gumball return to his feet.

The two circled one another. Their "friends" doing nothing but cheering on the impending fight. Tobias tried several times to lunge at Gumball. First with swinging first, all of which missed; and then a heabutt, which did knock the kitty down; but not before Gumball could yank Tobias's sweatband and bring him down, too.

The two were now on the ground flipping one another around like a roll down a hill. Both got some shots in, but it was mostly angry grunting, futile swings, and Gumball missing and impaling his claws into the floor.

At the moment, Gumball had him pinned. Tobias was flailing wildly.

"Just knock it off, already!" Gumball panted.

"Never!" Tobias barked. "You humiliated me, you made everyone hate me for weeks! _You're_ the bully!"

"I'm not the one who bullied a toddler into giving them her lunch money." Gumball growled, a flash of anger prompting his left fist to sail into the humanoid's face.

It seemed the spectators had enough. Jamie grabbed Gumball, and pulled him away, as Joe tended to Tobias, who was now visibly crying and ran out of the room sobbing.

Surprisingly, Jamie and Joe didn't seem upset with Gumball. They returned to the TV, and continued playing their game.

"Wanna take his place?" Jamie grinned.

Gumball took a moment to catch his breath. "Naw. I was supposed to be getting Carrie a drink… I should go."

He went into the hall, only to hear from a room behind him, Rachel screaming at Tobias.

"What did you do!?"

"Gumball tried to beat me up! See?"

"Who did you call?!" Rachel strained. She seemed furious, but also incredibly afraid.

"I-I may or may not have accidently called a SWAT team to our house."

A loud sound seemed to imply that Tobias was hit by or with something.

"You _idiot_! I can't _fucking_ believe you! I-If they come here, if they come here; you're _dead_. You hear me?!"

Laughing to himself, Gumball continued his journey to the front of the house.

He was alone in his trek to the parlor room, and as the kitten went for the ladle to full two dixie cups with sparkling drink, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He could swear he saw flashing lights in the window. Pushing the closed blinds open, his eyes went wide.

The Elmore PD was surrounding the front yard, guns drawn. Several concerned neighbors stood on the sidewalk behind them. Some of the officers in full SWAT gear, seemed to spot him; training their lasers on him as he sped towards the back of the house.

He found Carrie talking with Penny of all people; and found himself unable to string words together. It sounded like babble.

"Gumball… are you alright?" Carrie and Penny both looked concerned.

Before he could even begin speak again, the front door to the house was rammed down.

The officer, a chicken drumstick, brandished an automatic. "ELMORE P.D. HANDS UP, NOW!"

Some did as they were told. Others, wet themselves and cried. Gumball on the other hand, along with Carrie, Misami, and Jamie (who launched herself through an upstairs window), were now hopping fences and evading unleashed dogs. All while the sound of shouting police echoed behind them.

FInally, they reached a bus stop two blocks away, where the distant hollering faded. Just as more police cars whizzed by in the direction of the Wilson house.

"What a dumbass." Misami chided. "Who _does_ that? Especially on their _own house?_ "

Everyone looked directly at Jamie, who flinched.

"Tobias must've been worried you were gonna beat him up, Gumball." Jamie explained. "He went full retard, and said that you were going to shoot him. That's what Rachel said."

"I told you to leave him alone…" Carrie facepalmed.

"WHAT?!" Gumball practically screamed. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"We didn't know he called the cops until Rachael started screaming at us." Jamie said, mostly to herself as glares came from all sides.

"We can't just leave them there like that!" Carrie complained. "We have to go back an-"

"No!" Gumball asserted. "We aren't going back, are you insane? I didn't do anything. Let Tobais get what he deserves. I'm going home."

All but Carrie nodded in agreement and began the long walk home.

* * *

Darwin wasn't sure how long her could keep his eyes open. Through the questions about school, friends, and his origins, it felt like he had been here for hours upon hours. Still, he wanted this over with as much as anyone else.

"We're almost done, Darwin." Ms. Shaw stated as she turned to a new sheet of paper for which to take notes. Darwin watched through the course of their interview, dense cursive packed the pages; some with underlines, others emboldened. If only who knew how to read any of it.

On top of his own stress and anxiety, he was bitter. Gumball was enjoying a party thrown none other than Rachel Wilson, the object of his affection. He could only imagine the music, the friends, the fun, and of course; that very special girl, who out of all the other "dweebs", liked him the most. She even kissed him. His opportunity for a reprisal of that magical moment was stripped from him by bureaucracy and a bull-headed cat mom.

"So, Darwin," Ms. Shaw began, emphasizing his name to snap the fish out of his daze. "What we do here at DHS, is find sentient beings a home. While you _do_ live with the Wattersons, you are registered as a 'pet fish'. What this means, is that you have the right to change your residence, should you wish to."

"Like… a different family?" Darwin tilted his head in confusion.

"Yes. There are many families of many shapes and sizes that want to adopt. I feel that given your owner's situation, you should at least look into it."

"But Mrs. Mom says I'm part of the family."

"I'm sure she does." Ms. Shaw answered dryly. "Words are one thing; actions are another. Do you feel like you're part of the family?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you feel like you are a Watterson, or do you feel like their pet fish?"

"Well, I mean, Gumball-he's like my brother! We hang out all the time, and have lots of fun. Mr. Dad is fun, too. We sometimes watch TV together, and play games."

"Right," Another line of illegible fancy words upon the cream-colored notepad.

"What about Nicole and Anais?"

Darwin finally started to see what she was getting at. "Well…" He looked behind him.

"What you say here is confidential." Ms. Shaw put on that reassuring smile, again. Darwin took the bait, like the good little fish he was.

"We don't really talk that much. Anais doesn't seem to like me that much, either. She got really jealous of me being with Gumball, and called me a circus fish."

Ms. Shaw tried another angle. "Are you their only pet fish, Darwin?"

Suppression of negative thoughts was never a good thing, for when they resurface spur the moment, their return to the conscience can be disheartening at best, upsetting at worst. He wasn't their first pet fish, and had Gumball had his way; he wouldn't have been the last. Gumball promised he would never hurt him. Darwin believed him. Still, recalling that argument, those hurtful words, and the truth of his origins laid to bare, it brought on him an unmistakable frown that Ms. Shaw jumped at.

"No."

"Darwin…" Ms. Shaw began, only to be interrupted and startled along with Darwin by a pounding sound, followed by yelling. It was Nicole.

"You idiot! What did you do?" Nicole screamed.

"Um…" Richard replied nervously, "I might have accidently broke their toilet."

"Why didn't you say anything you imbecile!"

"Well...Uh…"

"I swear to god, if this is broken, I mean _really_ busted, you are DEAD. Do you understand?"

"Mom, calm down!" Anais whined, "You're making us look bad!"

"Shut up, Anais!" Nicole barked. "I already have one problem, I don't need another!"

Darwin cringed as Ms. Shaw simply sighed.

"Is she always like that?"

"Well…" Darwin frowned, "She _is_ taking Anger Management class-"

The unmistakable sound of someone punching a hole in the wall.

"Damn this damn thing, dammit!" Nicole fumed. She glared at Richard with all the anger she could muster. "You had _one job Richard. One!_ "

"I'm so sorry, honey. Please don't hurt me!" A blubbering, hysterical Richard.

"Right…" Ms. Shaw sighed. "I can't imagine you like that too much… Darwin?"

Darwin's eyes went wide as he saw water seeping under the closed door.

"Uh… Ms. Shaw?" Darwin pointed a fin, and the humanoid looked over her desk. As soon as she saw it, she bounded for the door and threw it open.

The sight before her was less than pleasant. Water, and what seemed to be waste, was gushing from the bathroom, as Nicole was frantically trying to plug the leak. Richard was bawling in the corner, sitting atop the sink. Anais simply sat in her seat at the end of the lobby. Head in her hands, disbelief clear in her posture.

"May I ask what is going on here?" Ms. Shaw asked, somewhat irritated. Her irritation turned to horror as she saw the scene before her: The toilet was overflowing, and had a giant crack along the tank. Nicole stood beside it, ankle-deep in god know's what, fists clenched around a plunger.

On top of the sink, sat RIchard, who was whimpering to himself, and had appeared to be a black eye. Anais was standing outside the building, just before the window, staring into the street, ears drooped.

Ms. Shaw muttered something likely profane, and gently tried to take the plunger from Nicole who yanked it from her, sending Ms. Shaw to slip and land face first in a pile of feces.

Nicole was horrified.

Ms. Shaw pushed away Nicole's offer to help her up, doing so herself. Face smattered with waste, eyes livid with anger, she sighed a heavy sigh, gave a concerned look to Darwin, and said nine words, and nine words only. Slowly, deliberately.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Anais turned towards the door as she heard footsteps approaching. Her mother looked furious, her father looked humiliated, and Darwin was completely unreadable. Neither of the three so much as looked at her as they stormed and sulked by towards the car.

The little rabbit watched for a moment, as Ms. Shaw stepped into the hall, flinging something off of her hands, before returning to her office, shoving the door open, before slamming it back shut. Anais watched as the strip of light inside went out. The whole of the inside was now dark; almost pitch black.

Then, a sudden flash of red light bled through the door, an almost eerily pulsation, like a beacon of some sort. Moments later, the door opened again, and a pair of red, dead eyes, gleamed right at her. Before she could as much as protest, she was yanked harshly by the arm.

Nicole didn't say a word as she roughly lead Anais to the car, and slammed the door as she crawled inside.

Not a word was said.

* * *

The walk back to the Kruger residence was quick and devoid of conversation, save for a curious look back on the part of Gumball. Each time confirmed that Carrie was still indeed following him. The silence was born of two misconceptions. The first, was from Gumball, who thought Carrie was furious with him. It was her after all, who suggested to explain the situation to the police to try and get Rachel some slack. Carrie assumed that Gumball was still fuming from the incident, and needed some time to himself.

Both were wrong, and the first assumption was disproved by laughter.

Gumball wasn't sure what to say to the snickering ghost.

"You're crazy, you know that?" Carrie smiled, "You are seriously looney sometimes."

"You're...mad at me, aren't you?" Gumball frowned, trying his best to avoid eye contact.

"What?" Carrie managed to calm herself. "No. Am I a little disappointed you and Tobias couldn't make up? Yeah, but- I had fun, Gumball. I had fun with you, tonight."

To say Gumball was taken aback by this was true enough.

"Wait, so you mean- you don't think I'm a total jerk?"

"LIke I said man, you sure know how to make things exciting." Carrie playfully nudged the kitten who was startled by the contact, and admittedly still confused by his girlfriend's acceptance of the chaos of earlier.

"Well… okay then." Was all Gumball could really say. The two made their way to the porch, and Gumball prepared to knock. Only to be reminded that this wasn't necessary, as Vlad materialized before them.

"Just what I like to hear!" He smiled. "Her laughter is infectious, ain't it?"

Gumball could only nod in agreement.

"We should totally bring you to the underworld sometime." Carrie remarked, floating beside her father. "I didn't think you were much of a party guy, but you really proved me wrong."

The three stood there for awhile. Gumball and Carrie both unsure of where to go from here.

"You need a ride home, champ?" Vlad dangled a set of car keys in front of Gumball.

"Eh, I'll be fine." Gumball dismissed. "Thanks, though."

As he made his way down the walkway towards the sidewalk, he felt a rush of air behind him, followed by a swift kiss on the cheek. He turned to see a tomato-red Carrie hurrying back to the porch; her father's smirk driving her mad.

With the adrenaline from the night fading, and his heart rate normalizing, Gumball thought about many things. Eventually the chain of thoughts reached one that made his smile flatline. Seeing the unanswered reply sent to his mother, only worsened his mood.

He wondered how things went. Darwin was in a poor mood, his mother was stressed out; the general home atmosphere was uncertain and unwelcome.

Gumball tried to think back to the fun evening he had, only to realize that the Elmore PD may knock on their door, or inquire about him. Whatever would come of that, Gumball didn't want to know.

His heart sank as he came upon the house, Their car parked, the lights of the house were out completely.

Inside wasn't any better. The whole of the house it seemed was out, with everyone turned in for the night. On even the more stressful nights, Nicole would be in the kitchen, and/or Richard would be sprawled out on the sofa, asleep in front of the TV. Darwin would even be up sometimes, listening to music or playing a game in their room.

He walked over to Darwin's tank, and tapped on it a couple times.

"Darwin?" He whispered loudly. "Darwin? Buddy? You in there?"

Walking to the right side of the aquarium, he attempted to get a look inside. He did see Darwin, but the face his fish had was anything but relieving. It was an angry scowl.

Stepping back, Gumball tripped over a stray book and fell back into his dresser. Looking up, he saw a picture frame wobble atop of it.

It was a picture of Gumball and Darwin, posing for a happy picture in the backyard. Faces told of carefree and simpler times. Taking one last look towards the tank to see if Darwin had come out, Gumball tried his best to settle into bed and sleep. A million thoughts banging about his head wouldn't allow it.

An hour passed, then another. He was starting to get a headache from the onset of stress. Both from the anxiety of Darwin's appointment, to the unknown that was nagging him, to the fact he was stressed out at all.

Finally, with a groan, he sat up, and made his way downstairs. The stars were rather lovely tonight. Maybe he just needed some time to think.

Gumball had changed his sitting position several times in the span of a few minutes. First he had rest his feet on the first flight, then he attempted to sit criss-cross on the stoop; at the present, he let his feet land on the bottom flight. He was pleasantly surprised to see he had enough length to pull it off without clearance.

Needless to say, he had had a great time with Carrie and company, even if there was some tension and antics at the outset. After all the dancing, hollering, godawful singing, and comradery, a silent, tempered gaze at the starry sky was more than welcome for his restless mind. So soothed and enamored was he, that the sudden flash of the porchlight scared him half to death.

When he heard the knob turn, the lock release, and finally the door open, he expected to see an angry Nicole, then hear a thing or two about how he needed to go to bed. Instead, she silently closed the door behind her, and for a second, he could only hear the rattling of car keys as the clutched them firmly, making one dull clank as she sat beside Gumball.

Silence returned for a while, as both kept their eyes on the sky, this lull affording them some time to think before they spoke.

"Can't sleep either, sweetie?" Nicole finally asked, albeit softly. She figured Anais wasn't awake, but one could never be certain.

Gumball could feel his tail sway. "No."

He looked at his mother, and saw something he didn't like. Nicole had a look when she was clearly upset, and that thing upsetting her was on her mind; Gumball seemed to be the only one in the family who was privy to it, and even without it, her slouched posture and bleary eyes were enough to indicate she needed someone to talk to.

As if in some kind of subconscious synergy, Nicole got up slowly, and gently placed her paw on her son's back, prompting him to his feet as well. Following her to the car, they got in, and soon enough, the key was in the ignition, and the station wagon slowly rolled through the backstreets towards the exurbs. The only sounds were the woosh of the rare car that passed by at this late hour; the click of the turn signal, and the radio, loud enough to be noticed, quiet enough to be inaudible.

Gumball glanced over at his mother, who had that same look on her face. Despite knowing it wasn't about him, he was uneasy. It was bad enough that Darwin wasn't on speaking terms with him, and both his parents were mute about the proceedings of this evening.

Suddenly, the car turned, slowly, as if approaching a car park, and sure enough, the stick was shifted, and the car stopped. The sound of the ignition being turned made Gumball jump, the sound of his mother crying made his fur stand. He got goosebumps seeing her head buried in her arms, her whimpering about as inaudible as anything else. Gumball carefully placed a comforting paw on her shoulder, scooting close to her and offering embrace.

Hesitant, it was returned. Gumball could feel her matted fur on the side of his face as she wept over his shoulder.

In his mind, her feared the worst: They couldn't afford the adoption. Darwin was to be taken from them, and the only hope he could have, is that his new home was close enough, that they could still see eachother at school.

"Is Darwin going away?"

Finally calm and somewhat sorted, Nicole released her hug, and sat against her seat, hands on her lap. A short gaze out the window, was followed with a heavy sigh.

Nicole's voice was barely a whisper. "We almost lost him." Waiting for a response she knew wouldn't come, she continued, her voice transitioning from shaky and hollow, to gritted and sharp. "I really get tired of this."

Fists clenched.

"If I could go back… If I could keep you and Anais, I would, I would have done things differently." She paused, permitting a heave, "You wonder why I push you so hard, you and your sister both; I don't want you to have to choose between your daughter's education, or your adopted son."

Gumball felt a chill rush through him. He knew they had always been on the edge when it came to money, but to hear just how difficult it was, it scared him.

"I work a nine to five; I take home a decent paycheck after taxes, if we didn't have….if it were just me, Darwin would've been my son the day he came home, you would have your own room; Anais could go to a private school…."

"Mom, I'm sorry." Gumball sulked, "I shouldn't have-"

"No. Gummy, this is a good thing. I need to talk about this." She was firm, yet calm. She looked at her child, she could see confusion in his eyes, but, she knew that if any of them would understand; it would be him. Still, the initial fire was gone, she slumped back into her seat, and a few minutes of uninvited silence followed.

Gumball spoke, the words defiant and required force. "What's stopping you?"

Nicole looked somewhat surprised. At a loss of words, if anything. Not that she was appalled, more that he seemed almost okay with it.

"Anais wouldn't understand. She loves him, and that wouldn't be fair." Nicole seemed both saddened and angered by this at the same time.

"Gumball…" tears filled her eyes as she brought him close, "Please, don't follow my course in life. Don't settle for mediocrity. I know you hate school, I did too, but don't allow yourself to barely pass high school; get married at seventeen. Don't settle for someone like him. You and Anais are both bright, beautiful kids, with so much to offer, and so much potential... " she choked up,

"These last five years, make them something to be... proud of."

Words were lost, and the two held each other for what seemed like an eternity. As she held her son close, she could feel his heartbeat, initially, it was racing, pounding; slowing down to a paced, rhythmic beat. She could hear him purr softly, she could see his eyes, the matted fur just beneath.

Her mind's eye took her back to her days with a small kitten, swaddled in a blue wool blanket. Those cold nights in her mother's rocking chair, the crackle of a small fire; the warmth of her precious child. It was the same then as it was now, though the ambiance of the fireplace was substituted for the movement of the windshield wipers, and the soft patter of the rain that they attempted to wipe away.

In due time, the two were back in their seats, Nicole put the car into reverse.

For the first time tonight, Gumball saw her warm smile. "Care for some comfort food?"


	19. The Effect

_**AN:**_ _New month, new chapter. How about that, huh? Valentines Day no less! Notice the awesome new cover art? That's brought to you by the talented deviantARTist VictorVin18. Hope you enjoy. As always, comment, criticize, all that. I love feedback. Oh, and just a note. The Origins is NOT being retconned, so don't worry about spoilers. This back half of this chapter was written before the episode was leaked, with the final scene being written after the leak._

 _The end is near._

* * *

Anais should have been in bed by now. It wasn't quite midnight, but it was close enough that the rabbit's initial drive to stay up past her bedtime was being tested something fierce.

She had heard her mom and one of the boys head downstairs some time ago. Eavesdropping was waste of time, it seemed they kept whatever conversation they had well out of her reception. This of course made her that much more curious. She knew tonight had been anything but wonderful, with everyone bitterly retreating to their rooms without a word.

Nicole and Richard both seemed to either forget or forgo their usual goodnight ritual with her, which lead to a solitary, silent reread of the same chapter book she had poured over who knows how many times now; followed by lying on her back and gazing at her ceiling with heavy eyes. Now, she sat at her desk, reviewing her math homework for the third time in a row.

The tick of the clock was like the metronome to slow song of her agonizing boredom.

That monotonous noise was shattered, as was her nerves, when a sudden flash sent her cowering under her desk. A familiar laugh coaxed her out, her fearful expression replaced with a scowl.

Carrie was doing a horrible job keeping her laughter in check. Snorting through her nose, snickers breaking loose as she covered her mouth.

 _That wasn't funny._

"What are you doing here?" Anais was anything but amused. "Gumball's room is next door."

"Nice seeing you too, kid." Carrie still had that stupid smirk on her face.

The rabbit was still very irritated. "So?"

"I was going to talk to your brother about some stuff," Carrie began, seeming to think if Anais was worth her time. "Though, between us, you may be the better person to talk to, anyway."

Anais seemed calm now, and sat on her bedside. "About what?"

Carrie automagically produced a thick book, to which she flipped to an arbitrary page, floating beside Anais so she could see. So far as the rabbit could tell, the pages were blank.

"Do you see anything?" Carrie pointed to a point on the page.

Anais looked confused. "No?"

"So you don't see anything?" Carrie asked.

"Again… No." Anais answered.

Carrie's furrowed her brow as she leafed through a few pages. "Dammit."

Anais let out a sigh. "Mind telling me what this is all about?"

"Well, if you must know," Carrie explained, "My old man says we messed up in the Void. Big time. If you can't read this text, then it means you have been banished."

"From the Void?"

"Yup."

Anais couldn't help be slightly unnerved. "That's a bad thing?"

"I honestly don't know." Carrie answered, her peppy and feisty demeanor fading a bit, "Vlad says that I have to see if you guys got banished, too. He spent the night in the underworld talking with some dude about some book or some shit, I don't really remember."

"Just wonderful." Anais sighed, "As if we didn't have enough going on…"

It was Carrie's turn to be confused. "Gumball get in trouble?"

"I wish it was that simple." Anais frowned, "Darwin saw his caseworker tonight, and I guess he'll be meeting adoption candidates. Would've been fine if Dad hadn't busted the damn toilet."

Carrie inhaled sharply, she knew this wasn't going to go over well with a certain boyfriend of hers.

 _Speaking of which…_

"Is he awake?" Carrie asked quickly, "Gumball, I mean."

"I think he left with mom a few minutes ago. I'm not sure why."

"Ah, hope he didn't get ratted on." Carrie realized she said that louder than she should have, as Anais looked at her like a deer in headlights.

"Wh-why?"

"N-Nothing, nothing." Carrie backed away slightly, "You'll hear about it if it's a problem. Anyway, I gotta run. Weekend in the underworld with the fam. See ya." With that, another flash and she disappeared.

Anais groaned, falling backwards onto her bed with a thud, her eyes heavy once again, and her mind anything but calm.

"See you soon, I guess." She muttered.

* * *

As tired as Nicole was, the idea of spending more time in the car was unacceptable. Gumball seemed to agree. Lucky for them, Joyful Burger was a 24/7 business, and was rather empty this time of night.

Comfort food was certainly the best excuse for their spread: two double cheeseburgers, large fries, a milkshake for each.

It was nice to be somewhere else. Even relative to the car, the sounds of food preparation, and the muffled drone of passing cars outside was in itself a nice departure from the house, the neighborhood, the sounds of familiarity. The familiar was unwelcome.

While physically they could leave it all, if only for a moment, their minds were in chaos.

Gumball in particular was unsettled by more than just the revelations of earlier. He had his own trouble stewing, and it had nothing to do with their adopted pet fish, or the familial value of his manchild father. No, it pertained to a certain fight, at a certain party, where cops were called and certainly responded. No doubt beans were spilled, and no doubt one of those beans was cobalt blue.

For Nicole, it was many things. As Anais and Gumball grew close to one another, she began to see some contrasts in her family. With Gumball showing intellect and insightful intuition, this left Richard in even more of a mental disparity than before. No more was that contrast amplified by the events earlier that evening. The reckless imbecile no doubt put a mark on the already infamous family.

Then there was Darwin. He had grown very distant and disparaged over the last few days, and her already thin relationship with him was certainly shattered, if not seriously strained by the day's events. She didn't know what to do, and honestly, was more than accepting of the fact that she could be among the forces that could drive him to find a new home.

On one hand, she was okay with that. On the other, Gumball would be devastated at best; indignant at worst. With all the progress he had made, she very much didn't want him to slip back into bad habits.

"I don't think I ever asked you," she began, "How was your party at the Wilsons?"

"It was… good. We had fun." Gumball cursed himself for the hesitation. Surely alarms went off in Nicole's head.

"Did Carrie have a good time?"

"Y-Yeah. I think so. She said she did."

"That's nice. I'm glad you two had fun."

"Yeah". It was weak, and hardly audible. Both resumed eating for a few minutes, looking out the window, towards the counter; idly observing the quiet and monotonous world around them.

Nicole's gaze out the window afforded her a quick glimpse at a passing van, red in color. Of all the mental triggers, that was it.

"I sure wish he could've gone."

Gumball had a brief moment of confusion, until the obvious set in, eliciting a slight frown.

"Yeah... he would've loved it."

She hated seeing him frown, and felt a tinge of guilt for bringing it up so soon.

"I'm sure this will all sort itself out, sweetie." Nicole offered a warm smile, and got a face of indifference. "They always do."

"I hope you're right." Gumball mumbled. "I…"

His train of thought was cut off, as his own glance towards the streetlights and cars outside, seemed to reveal a spot, a spot that seemed filled with eerily familiar visual noise. A red glow, too. A blink, and it was gone; he felt himself shiver as a sharp chill ran down his spine.

Nicole was none the wiser. "It is kind of chilly in here, isn't it?" The clear sky and the shimmering stars afforded no insulation from the chills of the night.

"We should probably get going." Nicole said, taking both trays, and emptying them into the waste bin before the two of them headed back to the car.

Gumball couldn't get that image out of his head, and kept his sights out the car window as they drove home.

* * *

Anais couldn't remember the last time she was the first awake.

Despite her age, the kit enjoyed sleeping in on weekends, not too late- _Daisy & Friends_, a Saturday-morning cartoon, ensured she would be up by no later than nine; but she was almost always the last one up, and usually didn't get to use her alarm , she was jostled awake by the rowdy antics of her brothers of father.

Not today. Pounding the snooze bar of that god forsaken noise machine, she rubbed her tired eyes, and perked her rabbit ears. The blaring buzzer had gave way to silence. No distant giggling or talking; no TV, not even the air conditioning was on. To say she was a bit confused would be fair enough.

The only sounds she heard as she got out of bed and got herself dressed, were the light thud of her feet against the carpet, the opening and closing of her wardrobe, and the turn of her door knob as she poked her head into the hallway.

It seemed the only door open besides her own, was that of the bathroom, whose light was off. Anais could see from her perspective, that the towel rack was empty, meaning nobody had taken a shower. She perked her ears once more to see if maybe now she could hear someone. Only the occasional song of birds outside, and the ticking of the hallway clock.

 _Strange._ She thought to herself, slowly stepping through the hall, and down the stairs to an empty living room.

She could now hear something, or someone. Slowly tip-toeing around the side of the couch, she saw Gumball passed out, head rested on one of the arms, body sprawled out over a cushion with the right arm limp over the side, the left over his torso. His pose looked rather uncomfortable, but his face seemed to suggest otherwise.

With trepidation, she approached him, and poked the side of his head with a paw.

The first poke yielded nothing. "Gumball?"

Second attempt. "You okay, bro?"

Third time's a charm. The kitten began to stir, and lazily opened his eyes. As he stretched, his back popped, eliciting a flash of surprise on his face, which humored the kit who giggled at his awakening.

Her inquiry was inevitable. "What are you doing sleeping out here with your day clothes on?"

Now seated up, he ran his hand over his face, and let out a yawn.

"It was a crazy night, last night." Gumball replied groggily.

"You're telling me." Anais muttered. "Hey, you wanna eat breakfast with me?"

"Nobody else is up?" Gumball's interest suddenly piqued, prompting him to get up off the couch.

"Doesn't seem so." Anais answered, following Gumball into the kitchen.

"Weird." Gumball commented as he prepared them a breakfast of champions. Daisy Flaks bathing in a bowl of two percent milk with a questionable sale-by date. The two ate in relative silence, no words exchanged as the soggy cereal was consumed. The siblings headed back to the living room, with Anais grabbing the remote.

Checking the clock, it was thirty till nine, Fireman Pete was on. She muted that vile to afford some conversation.

"How was the party?"

Gumball shrugged. "It was pretty fun, I guess." A sly smile formed, "Tobias challenged me to a fight; I won. Then he called the cops, and I got my exercise in for the week."

Anais was attentive. "Why did he call the cops?"

"'Cause he's a baby who can't accept losing." Gumball smirked. "His sister's probably skinned him alive by now."

"At least you got some running in." Anais sighed. "I had to sit there and watch everything fall apart."

Gumball frowned. "Yeah, I heard a little about that..."

Something about his response gave her goosebumps. For a flash he looked incredibly upset. As if the reality of last night had made itself known to him once again. Anais panicked internally.

"How was Carrie?"

Gumball snapped out of his daze. "Oh. Sh-she's good. Yeah, she had fun. ...I think."

This reminded Gumball of something else, though he figured now wasn't the time. He really wanted to go to his room. As he stood up from the couch to do so, a little paw tugged his sleeve.

"What?"

Anais's cheeks burned red as she looked away from him.

"I, uh, kinda would prefer if you stayed here until Mom gets up."

Knowing no wasn't an answer, Gumball sighed, and plopped back down on the couch. An hour of singing donkeys and snakes puppets amid other utopic animals certainly wouldn't kill him.

* * *

Darwin had never felt true depression before.

He wasn't used to the macabre nature of his thoughts, nor the sharp winds of confusion and contradiction that made it hard to hear his own internal struggle.

Darwin hated thinking about a life that didn't involve the Wattersons. It was all he knew. At the same time however, he felt like not giving these prospective families the time of day was not the right thing to do. If he was the one to make the decision, he wanted to know what he was getting into.

After the events of last night, he began to wonder if maybe he was a misfit. In a family of cats and rabbits, he was a legfish. Had it not been for the miraculous misadventures of his march from the sea, enabled only by Gumball flushing him to it; he could've realized a different home; a different life, with fish like him- maybe his parents.

Between Gumball's revelation of his origins, to Anais' possession bringing forth more than just a terrifying night at the Kroger home, he begun to have some undercurrents of doubt, but it wasn't until Mrs. Shaw showed him the opportunity he had, and after the extreme embarrassment of the incident thereafter. That this undercurrent swelled like a tsunami and began to wash over him.

He thought about his upbringing; all the love he had for the three mammals who gave him a roof over his head, and food on the table. Had it not been for them, he would be either dead, or living a life under the sea.

Had it not been for them though, things could have been different. As much as he loved Gumball, part of him wondered if that was just dumb luck-or worse, a series of unfortunate events that prevented him from living the life he never knew he wanted.

He heard the door to the bedroom open, and a brief flash of light illuminated his sand shelter like a strobe before being replaced with darkness for a moment, and then a soft incandescent glow.

Sure enough, the next sounds were tapping. Light tapping of his tank, but startling nonetheless.

Without thinking, he emerged, and saw Gumball's brightened face. For a moment, he felt a warmth, too, but that quickly faded as his thoughts trampled his conscience once again. H couldn't just keep hiding anymore. If he was going to make this decision, he owed it to Gumball to at least talk about it.

Darwin's eyes dilated as he met the fresh air, and felt a wind as he dropped to the towel on the floor, feet first. he now was looking Gumball in the face, and for some reason, the usual fluttering of his heart was replaced with thorns. He felt sick.

"I heard last night didn't go very well." Gumball began, shuffling his feet nervously. He couldn't pin why, but he felt a strong pang of guilt as he said those words.

"You could say that." Darwin too was slightly nervous, his words were quiet, and his eyes were evasive. The swell of thoughts and feelings tried to besiege his walls, and as they did, tears began to breach.

Gumball was overwhelmed. He too recalled his own evening. His question to his distraught mother… had never been answered. It echoed through his head, each ricochet stinging worse than the last. As much as he wanted those words free, he choked up trying to say it.

Darwin knew Gumball well enough, he knew exactly what was on his mind, and the very words that he could not force out. Before he could speak however, Gumball wrapped him in a hug.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you…" He wasn't sobbing, it was more remorseful.

Darwin's head and heart were in a flurry. He tried valiantly to push back the tears and the sadness, but this seemed to be a grave mistake. With the solemn out of the way, a brush of anger broke the defenses and surged to victory.

" _Why weren't you?"_ Darwin scrambled mentally to pull back his simmering indignance, and prayed to a false god that Gumball took those words as rhetorical.

Fate it seemed, wasn't though fucking with him.

"I...I…" Gumball's stammering seemed to invite Darwin's inner rage back for another swing.

The pain of both the thoughts the words were born of, and his attempts to suppress them, were clear in his voice. "You could have been there for me, Gumball…"

Gumball's stammering mouth could only render inaudible stuttering. Darwin didn't like it.

"You could've told Mrs. Shaw how much you loved me, how much I meant to you.. But no. You didn't do that, did you?"

There was no use. Resistance was futile, and Darwin retreated suppression.

"You left me there while you went and had the time of your life!" Darwin was screaming now, voice cracking on the tip of every syllable. "I bet you told Rachel I didn't wanna go, didn't you?!"

It was horrific as Gumball tried so hard to say the simple answer, but his brain was scrambled, and as hard as he tried, he couldn't bring himself say anything out of a broken sputter.

Darwin calmed some as Gumball lowered his head. The fish very much wanted to apologize, but he was still polarized from it all. While it hurt to accuse his brother of such things, it also lifted a weight off him that he hadn't known was there.

Looking around, the room was rather dim, and smelled of a dirty fish tank. Darwin found his shoes, put them on, and looked to Gumball who still didn't move.

 _I think I'm gonna get some fresh air._ Darwin thought, deciding not to say it aloud, stomping out of the room instead.

With the sound of Darwin's feet out of range, Gumball let out a huff and sat on his carpet, eyes directed at nothing in particular. He found himself mostly bewildered by the onset of anger that had taken Darwin from inquisition to implication. Gumball knew that last night hadn't gone well, and had some vague grasp on what transpired, but for whatever reason, he found himself surprised by his own ignorance of how Darwin was affected by it all.

The kitten tried his best to put himself in those shoes-which was ironic, considering they were his to begin with-and try to gain some kind of newfound perspective that could help him maybe relate. Seeing this world of opportunity opened up to you; your cushy life suddenly feeling claustrophobic. The one person you loved the most couldn't bother to be by your side, and while you had an anxiety-riddle epiphany, that loved one was partying and fraternizing like they didn't have a care in the world.

If anything, Gumball simply found himself more confused than before he tried to sort things out through his mind's eye. He sighed in defeat, and fell on his back, the popcorn ceiling and light fixture now at the center of his vision. One of the bulbs within the fixture flickered erratically. Not enough to create a strobe-like effect, but certainly annoying if you watched it.

Eventually that bulb would go out. Once providing a nice warm glow for the frolic and fancy of the four walls it illuminated, it would wither and the filament would extinguish for one last time. Said bulb would have to be replaced.

He wasn't going to get much time to think about the possible implications of such a sight, as it was replaced with the livid face of Darwin, who was breathing heavily through clenched teeth and bated breath.

"What did you _do?!_ " Darwin's voice was about as strained as Gumball had ever heard it; every syllable tremoring with an amplitude of anger.

" _You,_ " That word seemed sharp as a tack and speared Gumball's chest, "You inconsiderate _jerk!"_ Darwin's face was scrunched into such a bitter scowl, that had Gumball not been the target of his rage, he'd be in nothing short of hysterics.

"Calm down, Dar'" Gumball was by no means laughing; let alone smirking, but his voice carried with it an air of shock with a side of light amusement. "What did I do this time?"

Even the slightest hint of disregard seemed to send Darwin into an unprecedented fury which put all of its energy into projecting his shrill, booming scream as loud as possible.

"You _ruined Rachel's party!_ "

 _Oh…_ Gumball's inner voice spoke with an air of faux-pass innocence. _Whoops._

"You had the cops show up at her house!" Darwin's face eased a bit, but he was still very visibly upset.

 _Uh… no- actually, that was Tobais who-_

The fuming fish cut off Gumball's inner counterarguments, "You got her in so much trouble!

"I'm telling Niccole."

Had Gumball not had been giving his full attention, prior, he certainly was now. Somehow, be it the turmoil of the night, or just her reluctance to probe, Gumball had avoided having to broach the less-than stellar actions on his part at the party, and with the stress levels cranked to eleven, the last thing he needed was to get a first-class ticket to the doghouse.

"Come on, buddy…" Gumball began with appeal, "Why would you want that? You know she's already stressed out, why don't we just let-"

He regretted his words immediately. " _She's_ stressed out?" Darwin yelled, "What about _me?_ Why do _you_ get to get away with ruining her party like the selfish… selfish… prick that you are, while the rest of us have to be miserable!"

"Well, it _is_ kind of your fa-" The cat got his tongue far too late. Darwin's response wasn't livid, nor was it explosive; no, instead, his face drained of color, and his eyes went from bloodshot, to bleary in a matter of seconds.

Gumball didn't dare open his mouth as his pet fish began to shrivel up and sniffle.

Darwin's voice was practically a whimper. "Is that... really what you think? That I wanted this?" Darwin was too drained to be angry; to tired to throw a tantrum, he had zero defense, and Gumball's words punctured every inch of his heart like a swarm of murderous hornets.

It was back to the night no more than a month ago. Gumball spoke the caustic words that were intended for his inner thoughts, and went beyond stomping toes. Of course he didn't believe it was Darwin's fault-the epoch of this whole mess was of course the government if he really wanted to strike the root of the ordeal.

Darwin's offensive caused Gumball to dig up the long-buried corpses of thoughts better left dead; the indecent and the inconsiderate. The thoughts that give birth to your angry shouts in the heat of an argument.

Not the thing you say to your best friend who only wanted to here three simple words. It already hurt that his brother, the very reason he was here at all, cut him so precisely.

"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that, Darwin I just-"

"What _do_ you mean then?" Tears fell, as whatever fight for fury he had was long lost, "Why do you say these things to me? I thought you loved me-"

"I do! It's just that-"

"Just that you think I'm a burden; that I cramp your style, get in the way of you and your sister-"

"Dude, no-"

"That's why you didn't go..." Darwin hung his head now, a pin drop would've easily clamored over his weak words, "You thought that was it-they'd take me away, and you wouldn't even have to say goodbye."

"Darwin, that's stupid." Gumball didn't dare move, but he did look him as square in the eye as he could, "You say stupid things when you're angry- this whole thing is just a huge misunderstanding."

Darwin seemed to be listening, as his head slowly began to return to eye-level.

"I didn't tell her you didn't wanna go, man, I wouldn't do that-she's your thing. I said you couldn't make it. That's what I said: I swear. She missed you- everyone was asking where you were… I love you more than you could possibly realize. Since the day we first met, I knew that you were more than just… a pet fish, you were something special; someone special."

A fin wiped some tears.

"You mean the world to me. I know things are crazy right now, and you've got a lot to think about. Just know this: I will have your back no matter what you do. You wanna get off this crazy ride known as the Wattersons? Can't blame ya, we're poor and stupid."

His nervous chuckle that escaped was born of fleeing tension.

" If it makes you happy; if you think a life somewhere else is what's best for you- you've got me in your corner. I know no matter what, we'll always be best friends; and no matter what your last name is… you'll always be my little brother."

Darwin hardly see through the tears in their eyes, as he processed what was said and heard.

He finally spoke, "Y-You really mean that?"

Gumball didn't hesitate, a soft smile courtesy of his confidence and comfort. "Of course I mean that, Darwin."

Gumball was far too drained to so much as jump at the sudden hug that Darwin wrapped him in. Had it been a punch or a tackle, the kitten would've been down for the count. Instead, his rapid heartbeat pattered against the lowered head of his brother, as he returned the hug.


	20. The Kaleidoscope

_Kept you waitin', huh? Okay well, I missed a month. This has been a slow chapter to right for many reasons. Nonetheless, this shouldn't happen again. Please review, comment, critique; all that. Enjoy!_

* * *

 _If you are aware of a state called is, or reality, or life, this implies a state called isn't. Or illusion, or unreality, or nothingness or death. You can't know one without the other. And so as to make life poignant, it's always going to come to an end... Liveliness is change it is motion._

 _ **Alan Watts**_

* * *

"Watterson!"

Under any other circumstances, the bark of that crusty simian would've been cause for alert and alarm. For reasons he certainly could not wrap his head around, Gumball was almost relieved to be in the presence of his classmates and its cranky chaperone.

He did not know what infraction he had committed, yet that slight worry was anything but present on his face, as he sauntered to her desk like he was being awarded.

Gumball couldn't help being slightly cocky. "Yes, Mrs. Simian?"

Simian scowled at his chipper demeanor. It contrast hers brilliantly. "I graded your report."

Now, Gumball could feel a nerve being toyed with, "...and?"

"You passed." Simian barely said it. It was as if those two words associated with Gumball in any case, were punishing to say. "I don't know what the hell's gotten into you, but you passed. Get out of my sight."

More than happy to oblige, Gumball snatched his report, and triumphantly slammed it onto Darwin's desk. The fish offering a prideful grin.

"Keep it down back there, Watterson!" Simian screeched. If one listened hard enough, she sounded somewhat happy to be able to get that bad taste out of her mouth.

He couldn't help his smug grin, eyes fixed on the peterved primate as he sat back at his seat, and resumed reading today's language arts assignment.

Recess was quick to arrive, and soon enough, Gumball and Darwin made their way to a shaded bench. Darwin had fetched a portable video game that he bought with his allowance. He hardly ever played the thing, but today seemed unusually pleasant. Gumball seemed eager to play along.

"What game did you bring?" Gumball asked, as Darwin turned on the game.

"I don't remember," Darwin inspected the backside of the unit, which showed a slightly exposed cartridge label: _Hyper Mega: Elite Space Force III._

The game seemed to be a run-and-gun shoot-em-up, with the protagonist being a disproportionately muscular "bad dude with an attitude". With the frantic button-mashing required to avoid and advance the seemingly surreal swarm of enemy ships and soldiers however, it was more of a bullet hell, than anything else.

Gumball was practically entranced: millions of colors, the frantic and brilliant action unfolding. Just watching was exhilarating; cheering Darwin on as he advanced, and passionately exclaiming when he was hindered. Profanity of course was in order for more critical setbacks.

Darwin couldn't help but smile. Seeing his brother so animated, and his day so uneventfully pleasant: he very much wished this could be the rest of his life. That this, and only this, would be every day, forever.

Like most things, though, it came to an end.

It began with the game freezing. Darwin erratically pressing every button on the portable, the screen unresponsive.

"Why don't you just try turning it off?" Gumball flipped the power switch, which extinguished the indicator… but not the screen. It stayed on, fully backlit.

They both were a little weirded out, with Darwin trembling slightly. "Ok…That's… new."

Gumball hurriedly grabbed the devices, and struggled to remove the battery door.

One by one, he popped the AA batteries from their slots. Still, the console remained on.

Something else seemed different, too. As the boys watched in a mix of horror and fascination, the screen began to glitch and garble, with scanlines bursting in and out, and pixels corrupting with all sorts of nonsensical glyphs and colors.

Darwin screamed, and launched the game down onto the blacktop, shattering the back plastic, and puncturing the screen, which finally went out.

He cared not for the looks, or the mess of plastic chips her and Gumball were about to clean up, he was just glad it was over with.

"What _was_ that, dude?" Darwin whimpered.

Despite being weirded out himself, Gumball seemed largely over the anomaly.

"Probably just a bent circuit or something." Gumball reasoned, on all fours, meticulously collecting shards of plastic, silicon, and metal. "Let's pick this up before Rocky or Brown sees it. We both know getting detention today would be a bad idea."

The first half of fourth period began normally enough, with Simian shrilling the day's lesson, and the class bemoaning the onerous amount of workload they were about to endure, only to have the cranky primate bark at them like a rabid dog to quit their complaining, or suffer a worse fate.

Darwin wasn't too excited by any of this. He kept to himself, and diligently took to his work as best he could. Or, at least, he tried anyway. It didn't help he had a lot on his mind, both about his family situation, and life in general. He would ebb and flow from attention, to lucid daydreams and dread. It seemed his mind wasn't going to rest, let alone leave him be.

Presently, it seemed it decided it wanted to play tricks on him.

It started with odd, trivial little visual oddities, strange "glitches" in his periphery that would disappear as soon as he turned to see it. Carmen's arm losing its pricks, odd pencils and papers flickering in and out of sight. It was weird, but not enough to earn anything more than a cursory glance.

His wavery attention was arrested when he heard a horrified yelp from his brother. Turning just in time to see a very good reason for it.

"What?" Simian seemed slightly startled herself by the gasp. "Something on my face?"

Her whole of her head was featureless, and was textured with TV static, which would glitch erratically. Gumball fell out of his seat and crab-walked to the back of the classroom, face pale, nerves shaken.

"The hell is that for, Watterson?" Simian hissed, her face returned to normal, "Get back to your desk!"

Darwin was rattled as well, his fin trembled wildly as he raised it. "Well Mrs. Simian…"

"Hm?" A deathly scowl was directed at the pet fish ase he curled his lip. "You kind look… bad."

Gasps.

Gumball wasted no time scrambling to his feet, and shushing Darwin with his right paw.

"What he means is, you look… different- In a good way!"

"Lovely." Darwin forced.

"Pleasant." Gumball nodded vigorously.

Just as she went to roll her eyes, her torso and legs flickered and glitched out, her face inverting through her head like a corrupted 3D rendering.

"AAH! Horrifying!" Darwin squealed.

"Unsettling…-ly magnificent" Gumball could feel his tongue bleed from biting it. _I'm running out of adjectives_

"And _I'm_ running out of patience! Principal's office, NOW!"

 _Wait… that was a thought! How can you hear my thoughts?_

"I have eyes in the back of my head, and ears all around, Watterson;" Simian growled, "and if you don't move it, I'll have my foot up your ass."

Walking past the glares of their classmates, Gumball and Darwin made for the hall. It seemed to them at least, that no one else had seen a thing.

"You saw it too, huh?" Gumball whispered.

"Yeah…" Darwin grew anxious, "First the game, now this-"

"Well, we _have_ had a pretty crazy week, am I right?" Gumball playfully nudged the unamused fish. "Maybe we're just hallucinating or something."

"At the same time?"

"Well, you know-"

"Just a bunch of hilarious and zany coincidence, right?" Darwin's voice raised a little.

"Alright, alright, it's a little weird." Gumball surrendered. "But if you're thinking what I'm thinking, doesn't it seem weird that Carrie didn't react to any of it?"

"Dude, she's a ghost." Darwin deadpanned. "She's seen death; I don't think there's anything scarier than that."

"True." Gumball shrugged. "Guess I'll have to talk to her later, anyway." He let out a drawn sigh as he opened the door to the principal's office.

* * *

"I suppose was only a matter of time…" Nigel began, his half-lidded eyes obscured by his spectacles. "Couldn't go a month without slipping up, could you?"

Darwin began to explain, "Well-"

"No, I don't think I need your side of the story." Nigel quipped, "Lucy was kind enough to transcribe your… defamatory outbursts."

"Principal Brown!" Gumball snapped, "We weren't kidding, we saw something, something happened to Mrs. Simian!"

"And the pencils, and chalk and-"

"People's hands kept disappearing- Carmen's arm was gone for like, five seconds!"

"I…" Mr. Brown looked in no way convinced, his tone as condescending as ever, "You honestly expect me to believe any of that? Are you high? Do you have drug paraphernalia on school campus?"

"No." Gumball nodded.

Darwin seemed confused. "I don't think so." He looked to Gumball with concern, "Are we on drugs?"

Sliding a paw down his face, Gumball leered at his brother with utmost disappointment, "No, we are _not_ you idiot!"

"Are you sure? Because I've been pretty off today."

"Dude. Listen to me. You. Are. Not. On. Drugs. Knock it off!"

"But I mean, how do we know? How are we sure that what is, isn't? How do we know that our observations and existence aren't part of some grand tessellation of reality and nonsense with which we can't comprehend or explain? What if the nonsensical nature of our world is simply a construct of our persistent denial to our own existence and our own purpose within God's beautiful creation?"

As Gumball and Nigel looked at the fish with absolute confusion and bewilderment, Darwin's face went blank, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Gumball lurched from his seat, and grabbed the fish, shaking him.

"Darwin! Darwin, are you alright!" Gumball went cold as Darwin's pupils rolled around like billiard balls, and the other features of his face warped and warbled.

Brown had had about enough of this. "What… what are you doing, Gumball? Sit down."

"What the hell are you talking about!" Gumball was on the verge of tears, "Something's wrong with him, call the nurse! Call 911!"

 _Oh my god._ Nigel buried his face in his furry hands as he tried his best not to lose it, A muffled, drawn-out sigh was followed by the slow raise of his head. Before him, a tremoring, wide-eyed Gumball, with a perfectly normal, albeit tired looking, Darwin.

"Watterson, I'm not in on whatever game you're playing. I could set my watch to your antics, and i'd never miss a beat. Part of me wants to suspend both of your for wasting our time with this drivel, but with what you have going on at home, I feel like that would be a bit excessive."

Gumball seemed a bit off guard that he knew about their predicament, "How do you know about-"

"We were asked this morning to provide some school records for the agency dealing with your brother here, and the dots were easy enough to connect. Clearly you boys are distressed, and acting out to relive it."

"No, Principal Brown, we are not." Gumball crossed his arms as a look of determination formed. That looked faded fast as he turned to find Darwin dozing off, sitting up. Silence as he became more and more perplexed about everything.

"Wake him up, get out of my office, and don't get sent here again, or I'll reconsider my gesture of kindness." Brown, deadpan as ever, reset his specs, and resumed some paperwork.

Shaking Darwin awake, Gumball and his groggy brother walked out of the office. While it was a relief to be free of the usual detention, or worse- that was hardly any help to everything else.

"You okay, dude?" Gumball asked casually as the two began walking back to class. "You kind of went on an odd little rant and then kinda conked out."

"What are you talking about?" Darwin yawned.

"You know- the whole ' _What is life; what is existence'_ bit."

Darwin stopped, a quizzical look about him. "Dude, what are you talking about? The last thing I remember, was you saying something about telling Mr. Brown we weren't on drugs or something."

"Seriously? You asked whether or not we were, like you weren't sure. Where would I even get stuff like that? If _anyone_ is on something today, it's you."

Darwin's expression was alert, slightly spooked.

Gumball didn't even bother with concern. "What's wrong now, Darwin?"

"We've been walking... right?"

"Let me guess, now you forgot that conversation we just had? I know fish have short-term memory loss, but this is just-"

"No, I mean look!"

Darwin need not point to anything. Gumball noticed that, they were still in front of Principal Brown's door. Despite very clearly moving their feet. Gumball muttered something under his breath, and began to speed walk. The lockers and walls certainly were moving, but he noticed something.

The distant intersection in the hall, as well as the section where the principal's office was, did not move. The faster Gumball moved, the faster the walls to his left and right would move; the right would clip through Principal Brown's door, which remained in place; as did the distant corridor.

Gumball was not sprinting, he could feel the onset of shin splints as his feet began to create friction with the floor, which had now stopped moving under his feet.

"Okay…" Gumball grew worried. "Something's not right here."

"I'll say." Principal Brown growled, door ajar. "Didn't I tell you two to go back to class?"

"I can explain-"

"No. I don't want an explanation." Brown hissed, "I want you out of my sight."

"I'm _trying_ , but I can't!" Gumball stomped. "Can't you see? The walls are moving- well, those ones are- but I'm not-"

Gumball decided to run again, but this time, he didn't stay in place, and before he could realize things were normalized, he met the previously elusive wall, face first. He didn't dare turn around, let alone say another word. He sulked back to class, hoping Darwin was in tow.

Fortunate for the Watterson boys, third period was devoid of any unusual behaviour or activity. With that relief, lunch was even more welcome. Nicole had neglected to make them anything, and none of the kids seemed to care enough to do it themselves, thus, it was a buy day.

The line was monotonous. Systemically, Rocky would fill each section of their styrofoam lunch trays with some previously frozen "food" that was assigned by the meal calendar. Today, it was cheeze zombies, tomato soup, a cookie, and a refrigerated bag of assorted vegetables: carrots, celery, and a small packet of ranch dressing. As fake and tasteless as it looked, Gumball couldn't care less. If he focused on anything, it was to ensure he made it from the service line, to his usual seat without earning another trip to the nurse's office.

Wouldn't want to overdose on the abundance of happiness and radiance of that humanoid bandage lady. Darwin, who had fallen back in line, courtesy of idly chatting with Alan, eventually joined him. Both unsure of what to say. Instead, slowly eating their food. Each chew of the rubbery substance that masquerade as food, was deliberate, and delicate.

 _No wonder Carrie hasn't shown up._ Gumball smirked as he absently glanced around the cafeteria, looking to sight his ghostly girlfriend, _Even the cheese zombie tastes like laminated paper between two slices of foam._

Darwin wasn't keen on silence. "Is it me?" He lifted one side of the "sandwich". The open end facing Gumball, "Or is today's lunch _worse_ than usual? I usually like Cheese Zombie day." A frown present on Darwin's face. Clearly tired as his kin of the series of unfortunate events that seemed to comprise the last couple hours.

"I dunno, man." Gumball heaved, "I'll just be happy to make it home alive and in one piece."

Darwin stole his own glance around the room, spotting Carmen, Penney, and company at a distant table, visibly laughing at something inaudible to him.

"Why don't you ask Carrie?" Darwin suggested with a shrug. "Didn't you wanna talk to her, anyway?"

The kitten groaned, as his eyes grew heavier. "I guess." It wasn't so much he disagreed with the idea, he simply was too drained of his usual spunk and spur to want to alight his seat prematurely. Fortunate for him, that wasn't going to be necessary.

"Hey guys." Carrie greeted as she floated above the seat between the brothers, casting a slightly worried glance to the deflated blue cat. "You okay, Gumball? You look a little rough."

"You're telling me?" Gumball muttered grumpily. "Where have you been all day?"

"Researching some things." Carrie answered, seemingly unaffected by her boyfriend's sour mood, "We've been noticing some strange activity in the Underworld, and Pops thinks it's because of what we did in The Void."

A brief moment of silence as Carrie and Darwin both waited for Gumball to speak up, though he seemed content with keeping his head buried in his arms, seemingly half asleep.

"Funny you mention that." Darwin fidgeted slightly, "We've had some weird stuff happen to us today, too."

Suddenly, it seemed the ghost was interested, eyes alight, "Oh? Like what?"

"Running into walls, messed up video games; weird, weird stuff. Did you see Mrs. Simian's face this morning?"

"I try not to." Carrie smirked briefly, "What was wrong with it outside the usual?"

She could've swore she heard of muffled snicker from Gumball.

""It kind like, glitched out- like her eyes were missing, her face was like… empty! Right, Gumball."

Gumball finally raised his head, and groggily looked towards Carrie. His eyes looked heavy, and his face equally so.

"Sounds rough." Carrie sympathized, magicking a book into existence, and seemingly jotting down some notes. "Anything else?"

"Yeah." Gumball yawned, "A near-death experience, and an invisible treadmill."

Carrie muttered to herself as she scribed his observations, "Forced perspective, hallucinations, possessions… sounds about right…"

Darwin tried getting a view of her writing. "Huh?"

Carrie glanced over her notes, and a frown became pronounced. "This is bad. Really bad."

Without any further explanation, Carrie disappeared with a flash bang. Leaving Gumball to slump in his seat, and bury his head in his arms for the remainder of lunch.

Today wasn't about to get any better.

* * *

Part of Anais loved the general desolation of the school at this hour: You would see through mostly closed doors, teachers idling or toiling over assignments; Rocky was somewhere cleaning up after the busy day, and outside of that, it was nearly silent. Football practiced away on Mondays, so even the locker rooms were empty.

She let the sound of her steps echoing through the hollow halls accompany her on her route to the Physics room. As she passed last intersection of hallways, leading to the door, a sound caught her attention. Turning to face it, greeted her with an odd sight.

This stretch of hall had its lights off the whole length, with the sunlight streaming through the dusty and stained windows which ran along its right wall being its only illumination. Anais could see a silhouetted figure, no larger than herself, slowly walking towards her. As the figure came closer, she grew uncomfortable.

"It's been awhile, has it not?" The little blue egg finally revealed as he passed through an illuminated section. He greeted as one would a close friend.

Anais felt no such association. "What do you want, Billie?"

"Walk with me, will you?" A hand was offered, only to be waved away. Nonetheless, Anais followed Billie out onto the desolate playground.

"My boys and I have been studying some paranormal activity; anomalies in spacetime, strange bursts of magnetic energy. The duration and occurrence of these incidents is brief and sparse, yet we believe it to be evidence of the existence of a parallel or alternate reality."

He looked back to see while Anais was mute, she was nonetheless attentive.

"Have you ever heard of a thing known as The Void, Anais?"

Her flinch was enough confirmation. Billie smiled as they found their way to a bench, and sat down.

"I figured a girl of your intellect and curiosity would." Billie continued, "While the subject is often relegated to the domain of conspiracy and nonsense, I believe it may be not only existent and sensible, but could very well explain the wayward nature of our world."

Anais' curiosity got the best of her. "In what way?"

"I think the more appropriate question would be, in what _ways_ , my dear."

"Don't call me that."

Billie chuckled at her rebuke. "Feisty as ever, I see. If our findings are correct, and The Void is indeed real, we could finally realize the answer to the most vexing inquiry posed by the brightest minds of our time: The existence of a higher order. One which either through sentience, or circumstance, keeps our world balanced and orderly.

Anais took some time to sort these ideas in her head. The prospect of answering an age-old question of reality, and even existence, was appealing. She still had a few questions herself.

"Where do I play into this?"

"Ah, So glad you asked. You see, Anais, we were able to triangulate the location of two events-the magnetic disruptions-and their relative origin seem to coincide with the location of two residences: one of which, is your own." A wry smile formed as Anais once again looked somewhat startled.

"So… you need my help."

"If you have the missing piece to our puzzle, then yes, such assistance would be invaluable."

Anais wasn't letting her guard down. "How do I know this is _really_ what you're up to?"

Billie alighted the bench, and turned to face the rabbit.

"Why not come see for yourself? The boys and I are converging this evening at our makeshift observatory, just northwest of Elmore proper. You are most certainly welcome."

"Hm…" Anais hesitated some. "Let me think about it."

"We shall arrive at around twenty hours." Billie began walking back towards the school. "It would be simply delightful of you to join us."

With that, the egg went back inside, leaving Anais, still seated on the bench, once again letting the ambiance of the outside world accompany her racing thoughts.


	21. The Spiral: Part l

_**AN:**_ _So remember that thing where I mentioned long waits between chapters shouldn't happen, anymore? Yeah, forget about that. We're almost to the end, so these are going to take time to hammer out. They'll be put up when they're done. Enjoy!_

* * *

 _OCTOBER 11th, 1820, Thursday_

 _Along the seam between the sensed and senseless lies The Void. An indiscriminate vacuum of the lost and forgotten, bound by abandonment. By this simple description alone, one would surmise, then, that The Void is simply the purgatory between relevance and nonexistence._

 _Nothing could be farther from the truth._

 _As they say, truth is stranger than fiction, and I suppose, especially when it comes to this concept, that saying is as relevant as ever. If The Void were to be wholly partitioned from reality and unreality, known and unknown, this would be not be an issue , as that is the supposed natural order of things._

 _I'm afraid, though, that we live in a rather fantastic world, with a terrific knack for defying common sense…._

* * *

Carrie wasn't one who asked for much, especially of her father.

Which could probably explain why she was taking her time floating through the halls of their house to Vlad's study. She had been doing a good deal of worrying in her room, trying her best to relax to some music; though the macabre and morbid themes and lyrics and her reading selection, did little to help in that effort.

As usual around the mid-afternoon, Vlad was into one of his epics, the withering embers of the small fireplace lit only the center of the room; the bottom row of books and instruments in the otherwise dark study.

Slipping a bookmark into his read, and gently closing the book which unleashed a shimmering cloud of dust. Vlad swiveled in his chair, and folded his hands.

"I figured you'd wander out here, eventually." He said with a knowing smile.

Carrie's expression was glum and defeated, "I guess I don't have a choice." She said.

"Never fun to clean up after yourself, is it, missy?" Vlad's smile didn't fade as he stretched his arms.

Carrie growled as her face scrunched into a pout, "Kinda hard to when I don't know where to begin! Everything I've read says going back to the Void is impossible. _What the hell do we do_?"

Vlad's smile weakened to a simple smirk, as he floated slowly along the bookshelves, looking for something.

"I suppose the good thing, is that whatever _it_ is, is already among us, kiddo." Vlad inspected the spine of a small cluster of books before snatching one and quickly thumbing to a leafed page.

"You see, the Void- as I'm _sure_ you remember, is not only a repository of obsoletion and obscurity; it also is the physical manifestation of insecurity. The trials are meant to test your resolve, and it seems one of you failed in some way or another."

Carrie couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I _know_ that, but what do we do about it? I mean…"

Vald appeared before her, his face now grave with concern. "Knowing is only half of it, darling." He looked up towards the skylight high above them, which showed bright stars burning,

"I can't tell you _what_ to do," Vlad sighed, facing his daughter once more, "but I think I know someone who can get you off to a good start."

Carrie pinched her nose as she let out a sigh of her own. "We're going to the Underworld, aren't we?"

"Damn right we are, kiddo."

* * *

 _...You see, the Void isn't just an absurd tangent of spacetime. It is, in a way,_ sentient _. It will consume anything it wishes, when it wishes, without regard or reason. Then, whatever it swallows leaves both our head and our hearts, forever doomed to be forgotten._

 _Compounding this, as of late, it appears it has began to exert influence upon forces of nature, and even reality itself. Even here in the Underworld, strange phenomena have been reported: Mostly trivial incidents, mind you-but, if the power of the Void can transcend dimensions, then it is not just a matter of the overworld facing peril—it is_ ours _as well. And that is simply not unacceptable…._

* * *

No matter how she tried, Anais couldn't shake the growing unease and uncertainty that was keeping her troubled head fraught with worry. As she walked between her two brothers, not five minutes from their home, she paid no mind to the conversation that was volleying over her head.

This whole Void situation was becoming rather convoluted and cumbersome. What began as a simple misstep and misadventure into an alternate dimension of existential nature, had now devolved into some weird, unpredictable problem, that threatened to take her sanity before her soul. While she couldn't fully understand Darwin's situation, the stress of everyone around her was more than enough to plop that into her growing stack of stress.

Because, you know, what's the point in only worrying about one thing, when another, more personal situation can join the party?

She very much wanted to talk to Gumball about this. Anais hadn't gotten a word in since the trio met on the way out of school. Darwin & Gumball had monopolized conversation for the last hour, and it didn't seem like that was going to let up any time soon.

A heavy sigh signaled her entrance, as she walked upstairs, and to her bedroom, gently closing the door behind her. As she pulled out her desk chair, sat upon it, and opened her diary for writing, Billie's words echoed in her mind,

" _...It would be simply delightful of you to join us…. Twenty hours."_

 _Eight in the evening._

No doubt she would be home, the idea of leaving, especially unaccompanied, would be absolutely rejected at best; elicit a serious scolding at worst.

For several moments, her ballpoint pen traced circles above the blank page, as she absentmindedly stared out her bedroom window, at the suburban tract of Elmore she lived on. She could see schoolmates; kids she didn't know, biking, skating, skipping by; enjoying their carefree lives. Uninitiated in the phenomena which scarred her psyche; uncaring of her seemingly trivial pursuit of some supernatural mystery.

She envied them.

A knock on her door jostled her from her simmering, as she turned to see Gumball poking his head in.

Anais smiled lightly, "You know you're supposed to knock, and then _wait_ , for me to open the door, right?"

"You know you're supposed to _lock_ the door if you don't want visitors, right?" Gumball said teasingly.

"Mom gets mad when _you_ do that." Anais replied, fully turning her chair to face Gumball, as he sat on her bedside.

Gumball's cheeks turned slightly red, "Well… let's just say we're all better off with me doing that," He chuckled lightly as he glanced at his dangling feet. "You seemed quiet on the way home, so I figured I'd check on ya. You okay, sis?"

Anais smiled brightly, "Mostly," she got up from her seat, and went to sit beside him, "I talked with Billie today…"

"That pompous egghead?" Gumball's voice carried an air of suspicion, "What for?"

"I guess he and… the _other_ eggheads, have been looking into The Void, too." Anais traced aimless lines in her duvet comforter, "I guess they've seen us mucking around, and they want to talk to me-I mean, us."

Immediately, Gumball's face soured to a slight frown, as he sighed, "You know we can't do that tonight," he fell back on Anais's bed as a groan escaped him, "Darwin's caseworker will be by, and you know mom…"

"Let me guess," Anais scooted back towards the wall, " _I expect this house to be spotless, you understand?"_ she said in her best impersonation of their mother, gruff and bullish, _"All of you need to be on your best behaviour! No 'and's, 'if's, or 'but's!_ "

"Huh," Gumball sat back up, playfully jabbing Anais in the arm, "Almost verbatim, nice job."

Once more, came a knock at Anais's door, and yet again, it was opened without invitation.

"There you both are," Nicole said, frowning. She didn't sound upset or irritated; more relieved. "Could you come help me with the kitchen? I could use a few extra paws to help dust and load the dishes."

Neither dared to object.

* * *

 _...If one understands the laws of The Void, one can wield it to their advantage. Between the effortless means to travel to and fro, combined with the intimate and incredible leverage of its unknown power… he who controls the Void, controls everything. Or, at least, that is what they say… Most of this conjecture is inspired by folklore and fantastic accounts by fanatical men. I firmly believe, however, that my observations are irrefutable…_

* * *

When one imagines the underworld, one's mind more likely than not, paints a picture of a macabre, morbid, and misery-laden landscape of gloom and grime. Now, this isn't too fantastic, as one could describe the drab tudor houses with their thatched roofs, and gritty cobblestone bearings. The prevailing, endless mist and smog that stretched into forever encircled the odd little enclave of bustling specters and spirits.

Carrie always found herself of a different mind, here. In the company of like-kind, coupled with her unique ability to transcend both the living world and this one, seemingly endlessly... Well, it made the trips here that much more interesting.

What was unusual for her, though, was the road they were headed down. Every time they spawned into the Underworld, they appeared in the center of the town square, iconic by its large clock tower, and fountain. Most any other time, the would head south towards the "Krouger House", where a good deal of her family lived, for some feast and family; or east, towards the Bolligans's Pub, where Vlad could shoot the breeze with old friends, shoot some pool, and unwind a little.

This time however, they were headed north. The wide cobblestone avenues, brimming with haunts and horse drawn carriages, gave way to narrow roads of set, between terraced homes and street-level gutter shops. It had a particular, musty smell, occasionally mixed with incense and spices which merchants would hock every time they passed.

Carrie found herself unfamiliar with this end of town, and irritated by Vlad's relative silence.

"Where are we headed, exactly?" she asked.

"To see a ghoul who may know a thing or two about the mess you've made," Vlad said simply, keeping ahead, "My knowledge of this Void mess ends where your adventure begins."

"Of course it does," Carrie muttered under her breath. "This guy got a name?"

"Sure does," Vlad looked over his shoulder this time, his mouth curled into that wry smile of his, " _Docteur P.A. Monde_ , they call him. Some fancy French name, or something. If anyone is going to know what you're up against, it'd be him."

"I'm not really not a fan of beating around the bush." Carrie sighed, as she jerked her head to wisp a errant bang out of her eyes.

Finally, they stopped before a nondescript terrace, the sign hung on the door bearing no name or address; yet it seemed to Vlad, that this was the place. Without hesitation, he turned the knob, and the door creaked open.

"We're going to just barge in?" Carrie growled, "Classy, dad."

"Well who do we have here?" A big voice startled Carrie, as she turned to see a big-boned, skeletal spectre round into view. "Mr Krouger and his Carrie-Berry!"

"That's a thing?" Carrie hissed into her dad's ear, eliciting only a knowing grin and a snigger in response.

The skeleton appeared before Carrie, offering a hand, "Some call me _Docteur P.A;_ but you can just call me Monty, if ya like."

Carrie wasn't amused. "That name doesn't make any sense."

Monty only smiled, as he lead the two to an adjacent parlor room, lit by a simple chandelier.

"Sounds like one of a few things you heard today that don't make any sense." Monty said, as he sat on a dusty, aged recliner; motioning his head to a nearby sofa, which Carrie and Vlad "sat" on.

"Wait," Carrie blinked, turning to her dad with a look of surprise, "How did he know—"

"Why you're the talk of the town, li'l mist!" Monty jovially quipped as he was sent into a wheezy blend of coughing and a hearty chuckle. Carrie cringed. "Can't help it, after all, when the Void started doin' a little dance around these parts, we figured _somethin'_ had to be up, and right as rain; sure as shit, a certain li'l ghost gal decided to hop on into the static, and make 'em real mad. Surely you could've wrote home before you invited some friends down here, couldn't ya?" His voice had a hint of jest, but also a pinch of irritation.

Monty paused-then leaned towards Vlad, a crooked smile about him.

"Remember that bridge to Peur, Vlad?"

"Of course." Vlad said, a skeptical look on his face.

"Gone now." Monty said quickly, relaxing back in his chair. "Yup, those bastards took out the bridge; gave poor Mrs. Kimmut damn-near had a heart-attack. Not fatal down here of course, just hurts like hell." He was struck by another wheezing fit. "They've been pulling all kinds of shenanigans around here. Little stuff, usually."

"What's their goal, you think?"

"Well, this is where it gets nasty, Vee," Monty folded his hands, "Might wanna put on the earmuffs here, Berry-They're fixin' to break us out."

"You don't mean…" Vlad gasped,

"Yup. Saw it with my own eyes." Monty sighed, "Kept 'em at bay for now, but they keep comin', damn things. Like little gargoyle-lookin' creatures. Ugliest things I've ever seen, dead _or_ alive."

"Okay, so what do we do?" Carrie blurted.

" _We_?" Monty wheezed, "Don't you try and rope me into this, missy, you and your meatbag posse got a mess to clean up."

"Meatbag posse?" Carrie said under her breath.

"That pretty kitty of yours probably's got _something_ figured out."

"Pretty Kit—? _No,"_ Carrie growled, shooting an icy glare at Vlad, "You… _told them?_ "

"What?" Vlad protested, "I'm just not supposed to answer questions? They ask how the weather is, any good reads; one things leads to another, eh... my girl's in love with a blue cat with a brown sweater. Branch of conversation, is all it was."

Carrie simply looked away, her face burning with embarrassment and frustration.

"Truth be told, we don't know much, either," Monty continued, "Sometimes they're all excited and crazy-like, and then other times, they just kind of… mope around, it comes in waves, y'know?"

"You taking notes, over there?" Vlad said, jabbing Carrie lightly.

"Old man up Peur, says that they're coming through the mortal world, so I'd imagine it's something up there. Hell if I'd know, there aren't many of us who can go back and forth like you two…"

 _You say that like it's a privilege._ Carrie thought.

"Whatever it is, we'd really like you to take care of it. Better sooner than later, but no rush."

"Okay, that's great," Carrie groaned, "Is this the part where you contribute something new, or did we come all the way here just to listen to your jest?"

"Whoo," Monty chuckled, "A fiery one, she is. Your old man came here because I have something that might help you kiddos out. Be back in a jiffy."

With that, Monty walked out of the parlor room, with Carrie and Vlad sitting quietly, neither daring to look at the other.

* * *

As Richard and the kids sat pensive on the living room couch, they listened to Nicole pacing the kitchen, a nervous wreck. Soon to arrive, were Mrs. Meryl Shaw, and some other suit from the Department of Social Services.

Darwin kept his gaze towards the living room window, waiting for the inevitable pair of headlights to burn through the shimmering calm of the street. He didn't like this, not one bit. He knew they _had_ to, he was fully aware there wasn't getting out of this-but yet, Darwin still couldn't help feel a _little_ indignant.

His home was to be inspected, assessed, and if these suits found it in his best interest, no longer his home. All because he wasn't blood-related.

He wasn't _really_ family. A pet.

Nicole rounded into his view, or more appropriately, obstructed it, as she stood for a moment, and lowered herself to be eye level with him.

"Darwin?" She began slowly, face worn with worry, "I just want you to know, that no matter what happens here, we'll always love you, and you'll always be a part of this family."

"I sure don't feel like part of it right now." Darwin muttered.

Nicole frowned. "I know it must be confusing," she said, looking away briefly, "To be honest, this whole thing is ridiculous, and the sooner it's over, the sooner things can back to normal," she stood, facing the other three, "Right guys?"

"Right!" Richard said quickly.

"R-right," Gumball repeated, then clearing his throat, "Once we show them how much you mean to us, and… how much we mean to you, I'm sure it'll be a-OK." Gumball tried an earnest smile, and it seemed to show through.

As Darwin looked behind him, seeing the nervous, yet reassuring smiles of his adoptive dad and brother, one member of the family was noticeable detached from the whole exchange.

Gumball pinched Anais's ear, eliciting a startled yelp.

"W-what was that for?" Anais whined, her eyes finally meeting her mother's glare.

"Anyway," Nicole continued, turning her attention back to Darwin, "Just answer their questions-"

"Honestly?" Darwin asked.

"Wh-of course." Nicole said.

"Well, Mr. Dad told me that it's important to make us sound good." Darwin explained.

"Why would you have to _lie_ to do that?" Nicole asked, concern in her eyes once more.

Anais snorted. "You _sure_ you want an answer to that?" Anais had _meant_ to mutter that under her breath, but she saw an icy glare out the corner of her eye, and felt a hard jab in her side.

Nicole quickly stood, hands to her hips. "I expect _all_ of you to be on your best behaviour," Nicole instructed, "No ands, if-"

Anais turned away to hid her sparkling eyes, desperately trying to stifle a laugh.

Nicole's eyes narrowed, "Care to tell me what you find so funny about this, Anais?" she snarled, annoyed by her daughter's off-kilter behavior.

Anais simply shook her head.

"Probably just a nervous reaction." Gumball added quickly, putting his arm around the little rabbit. "Everyone has their own ways of dealing with stress, y'know? She's a kid. Kids are weird."

"I certainly _hope_ that's all it is." Nicole said as she stood, and made her way to the door.

"Are they here?" Darwin asked, eyes wide, voice cracking slightly.

A knock on the door confirmed his suspicion. Once opened, it revealed Ms. Shaw, dressed in a simple dark cardigan, and a suited, bipedal sheep.

"Hello again, Nicole," Mrs. Shaw said, as she nodded in direction of the sheep, "Mr. Tweed will be assisting me with the inspection"

Mr. Tweed extended a hoof, which Nicole shook.

"This shouldn't take too long," Tweed said, as Nicole stepped aside to let them into the living room, "We have our checklist here, and then a couple questions for Darwin, and you as well."

"Anything we can get you?" Nicole asked quickly, "Water, tea… coffee?"

"Thank you, but we had something on the way," Mrs. Shaw looked to Tweed, "We might as well start with the kitchen, though." Mr. Tweed walked into the dining room, as Miss Shaw turned in the doorway, "Feel free to go about your usual evening," she said, "We'll just be checking things out."

The two inspectors disappeared into the kitchen. Nicole could hear the opening of cabinets, and the scratch of a pencil upon a thin notepad. She sat at the opposite end of the couch, next to Richard, and looked anxiously through the kitchen's entrance.

After touring the kitchen, they made out to the backyard, where through the window, the family could see them inspecting the shed, play set, and the fence. Pointing to things, taking notes, revisiting spots; rinse and repeat. After a few minutes of this, they headed upstairs, their footsteps could be heard from above.

Anais felt a yawn come on. "Mom?" She asked, Nicole flicking a glance her way, "May I go to my room for a little while? I'm tired."

Nicole hesitated, "Sure sweetie, but if they ask to come in, you need to let them be, and come down here, understood?"

"Understood." With that, Anais hopped from the couch, and made her way upstairs.

"Hey mom," Gumball tried.

"No." Nicole cut in, " _One_ of you upstairs is enough."

Anais took her time wandering to her room, being sure to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible, creeping along the wall, keeping an ear to it.

Anais remembered the red glow, the phenomena earlier in the day. She wasn't going to say it, but she had a suspicion, and she had every intention of validating it. As she passed Gumball and Darwin's room, she peeked through the door, which hung slightly ajar.

First she heard the whispers. The darkness of the room, afforded by the closed blinds, was weird enough. Just barely, she could make out the silhouettes of Shaw and Tweed, who stood by the bedroom window, inspecting the wall, it seemed.

Suddenly, shone a strange red laser upon a seam in the wallpaper. Aais gasped, and stumbled back as she could've swore one of them turned to face her.

Suddenly, her heart beat rapidly, and blood was rushing to every corner of her body. Scenes from when that seam was a gash in the wall… a tear in reality.

 _They're looking for…_

Anai's ears stood straight, as she looked back towards her door, which was open.

Quickly, she dashed to her room, first poking her head in. Initially, her room looked fine: dolls and toys were untouched, her drawings on the floor were not crumpled or stepped on. She crept towards her desk-and as she approached it, all color drained from her face.

It was all gone: the books, the notes, all of her research. Her crayons, pens, and homework were very much present, but as the tore open the drawers, and looked under every gap between the desk, and the floor, it became clear her literature and findings were very much missing.

Slowly opening her door, she saw Shaw murmuring something to Tweed, as they headed downstairs. As they turned, Anais caught a glimpse of something in Shaw's hand, a red luminescence of some kind. As she balled said hand into a fist, something _exploded_ in Anais's head. She cried out and fell to the floor

That brief spasm of pain subsided, and was replaced with a ringing in her ears. As she opened her eyes, she was greeted by yet another anomaly(?).

Everything was red. It was as if the sun had become a red dwarf, and jostled the moon from the night sky. Through every window, red bled through the blinds; through every light, red glowed from the bulbs.

As Anais slowly, shakily rose to her feet, her mirror allowed one final observation of her new vision: her socks, collar, buttons, teeth; anything which was white in color, or in spirit, glowed brightly, as if the whole room was under a massive blacklight

The hall, the stairwell, everything was bathed in a crimson hue, or hyper-illuminated. She saw Nicole conversing with Shaw and Tweed, but she didn't care. Anais tapped her shoulder, first lightly, then practically stabbing her with her finger. Nicole finally looked at her.

"Mommy and Darwin are talking to Mrs. Shaw, right now," Nicole forced the irritated words through her smile, "Surely whatever it is can wait, right?"

Anais blinked, again. Glancing around.

Anais swallowed. "Nobody notices the weird lighting all of the sudden?"

"The…" Nicole stammered, dumfounded, "Sweetie, what are you-"

Then she stopped. Nicole's mouth stopped moving, as did every other part of her; and everything else. Everything seemed to be in suspended animation.

Anais went cold. "Mom?" She said worriedly, as she waved her paw futily in front of her mother's eyes. "Mom?"

She was startled by the sudden onset of heavy breathing. She turned to see Darwin, eyes wide, breathing rapidly. Anais could barely make out what he said between baited breaths.

"Wh-what's happening?" He stammered, slowly.

"I…" Anais was cut short seeing Darwin point a shaking fin before him. Looking behind her, the lifeless and slumped bodies of Shaw and Tweed begin to robotically stand, all color drained from them.

"Darwin…" Shaw said, his voice flat and mechanical., "You're coming with us."

Before he could so much as object, Shaw's being began to glitch and distort, quick bursts of white noise preempted each defect. Anais tried to scream, but no sound came out.

No sooner had she looked over to Darwin, did she see that Shaw, who lacked any features or color, grabbed Darwin by the feet, his screams also silent. Anais tried to run to him, or anywhere, only to find that she could only run in place. Her sight began to fog, as her eyes grew bleary.

"We ready to go, my love?" Tweed grinned wickedly, his voice devoid of any character.

"I believe we are, Tweed." Shaw said, the featureless head looking down at the petrified Darwin who found himself unable to move.

With a snap of a finger, everything in the room-couch, table TV-floated into the air. The television came to life, spitting only ear-splitting static.

Mr. Tweed was the first to crawl into the television, disappearing into the void. Shaw was close behind, Darwin hanging limply from her vice grip.

Anais found the ability to move, again, and instantly ran towards him. Gravity returned just as quickly, and with greater force, slamming her into the floor, and threatening to pull her through the carpet, foundation, towards the center of the Earth.

Anais painfully, slowly moved her head, and saw Gumball, straining to lift himself off the ground, teeth bare and gnashing as he did so.

It was too late. Darwin was gone. The television was off, and the red tint quickly faded, back to natural light and color. Not to long after, the pull of gravity normalized, and their senses returned.

Neither dared to move for several minutes.


	22. The Spiral: Part ll

**_README:_** _Hey gang, be sure to leave a comment about your thoughts on the story so far, any critique, criticism... anything. Comments show me people are still interested in this thing. More than one word would be appreciated. See y'all when the next chapter is done._

* * *

" _I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is."_

 _ **~Alan Watts**_

* * *

Carrie's eyes shot open as she stirred awake, the sound of heavy feet and chain clinks coming ever closer. It was Monty, and he was wielding a scythe… a large, glowing scythe. In an opposite hand, a small vial of red substance.

"Here she is, Mrs. Krueger," He smirked, setting the heavy weapon on the table, where it made a startling clank. "This'll kill just about anything from a forest creature, to whatever they hell they got in that Void of yours."

Carrie's eyes went wide with awe, "Whoa…"

Vlad grew slightly uneasy, "Now, now I uh…don't you think this is a little much?"

Monty laughed, "Since when were you one to care about _too much_?" he floated over and pat Vlad on the back, "You two are a rarity, some would call it a curse I guess, gives me a reason to put my smithing to use, anyway, so what the hell? Let 'er have some fun."

Both men jumped a bit as Carrie, yanked the scythe into the air, and swung it haphazardly.

"Easy girl," Monty smirked, "This ain't no plaything, this is meant for big bads and brutes. This," he said, presenting the vial, "Will make any butterknife an efficient demon-killin' weapon of choice."

"Are you sure this will even work?"

"Tried it on one of them bastards last week with a throwing knife," Morty said smugly, "Son of a bitch went from standin' to steam. Poof!"

Vlad slid his hand down his face, "Wonderful." He muttered.

"Now, as with anything, there's some fine print," Montry said, floating into Carrie's view, "Once you take it into the Void, you can't come out with it." He paused, glanced away briefly, then cleared his throat, "What I mean is, once you leave, it loses its power. Some kinda magnetic mumbo jumbo or whatever. Ask Ted. He knows that shit better than I could bother."

"Maybe we will on the way out," Vlad said as he and Carrie went out the door. "Thanks for your help, Mont."

"Anything to get these little assholes up and outta here," Monty grinned, "Take care of yourself, little lady. Good luck." With that, the door was closed.

Vlad sighed, "Not sure how I feel with you swingin' one of those damn things around," he said nervously as they stood outside the house.

Carrie was wielding the disproportionately large scythe, wearing an unusually wide grin, eyes fixated on the glowing crimson along its blade. She held it so that the blade acted as a mirror, her gleaming, determined eyes staring back at her.

"He says anything coated in that… solution will work, right?" Carrie asked as she followed her father into another room which hosted several beakers, spellbooks, vials, and other instruments.

"That's right li'l lady!" Monty hollered from the door, "Now don't you hit one of your morty friends with it, or… well… they'll be payin' us a visit real soon." With a hearty chuckle, he closed the door.

"I guess," Vlad shrugged, "I mean, you _did_ say the critters out there are pretty big… I sure as hell don't have anything to take on a two-story high spider beast, so that scythe might be in good taste."

Carrie smiled, "Not gonna lie, pops," she glanced back towards the house, "The way he was talking about how things are going to go down… Is it bad that I'm a little psyched? This is like something out of a video game…"

"Just remember there ain't savestates or cheat codes, missy." Vlad muttered as they began towards the portal back home, Carrie taking every opportunity for a light practice swing. Vlad stopped, and turned to face his daughter, getting her attention.

"Remember also," his voice was now grim and hollow, "The only reason we're not being outcast, is because they're good people, and they happen to like us a lot, sympathy plays a part too, I reckon. So you and your kitten need to take this seriously, and clean up the mess you made."

Carrie let the scythe hang, her smile fading slightly, "I know, dad."

"Good," Vlad smiled back, "We'll get home, get ya an arsenal, and you kids can go have some fun."

* * *

Darwin still could not sense anything but the abstract, and surreal sights of the realm which he aimlessly drifted through. Even has he clipped through menacing creatures and nonsensical abominations of illogical origin, he didn't feel the impact, or the explosions that often followed.

One such moment, the explosions were of confetti, the brief sample of laughing children taking the place of the usual "kaboom"; the next impact was a cream-colored custard that exploded like a ruptured birthday cake, with the sound of a disharmonious bugle call.

Then, a black sock-puppet emerged from the ether and swallowed him whole, cotton muscles forcing him down into its stomach, then through its crude, colorful, hand-drawn intestines, then out its back end with a _pop_. Darwin fell through a passing cloud of feathers, alternately tickling and prickling him, until he fell, laughing and crying both, out its other side.

Shaw and Tweed had left shortly after dragging him into this mess, practically evaporating into the noise and nonsense.

Darwin stopped, and now stood. He couldn't feel the tug of gravity beneath him, but he certainly wasn't falling, either. Looking all around, he was now in an endless space of video noise

"H-Hello?" Darwin said with a gulp as his eyes darted every which way, seeing the same lonely desolation in every direction. Darwin jumped as he began to hear a distant sound.

Turning towards the sound, he saw nothing, yet the sound of _something_ became louder, closer still; then stopped.

A distant voice brushed by, "Is that you?"

He blinked. Nothing.

"D… Darwin?" A voice spoke once more,, seemingly circling him.

"Yeah? Who..." Darwin began, then faltered.

He blinked again, and before him, was…

Himself. Or… at least a smaller, younger version of himself, who fancied a little pink bow on their forehead.

"Hiya!" she said with a glowing smile.

Darwin's eyes went wide, he shook his head. He yelped as the emptiness around him suddenly burst with color and pressure-and, without warning, he was underwater… as if he had always been.

"I...you…" Darwin pointed a shaking fin at this little fish who looked a good deal like himself, his mouth open, but now words came out.

The girl-fish simply titled her head in confusion. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Who...where…" Darwin faltered, a giggle coming from the little fish before him.

"Sorry if I scared you…" she said with a smile. "My name's Ana, your little sister. Nice to finally meet you!" Ana said as she hugged a dumfounded Darwin, smile unwavering. "Mom and Dad always said you'd come back someday, and… here you are; it's really you!" She zipped around excitedly, kicking up a flurry of bubbles.

Darwin didn't move, "M-Mom and…" his stammering was cut short as Ana took his fin and swam gaily into the blue oblivion, the sense of motion only conveyed through the passing of occasional fish. Ana giggled all the while, trembling with excitement.

"Wow…" Ana began, "It's been… _years_ , like, before I was _born!_ I mean, the last time Mom and Dad saw you…" Ana sucked a breath, "They're gonna be _so excited! Come on!_ "

With a giggle, Ana began to run, pulling Darwin along, though as they went faster, the sound of rapid footsteps began to fade, with its silence, came a sharp stinging, almost like a papercut, through his fins-and as he looked down, he went pale.

His stubby fins had reverted to that of a normal fish, flat and, well… _fin-shaped._ A chill ran through his spine as he felt his rear fin, swishing side to side… he was _swimming_.

Oh, and he also didn't have feet… or legs for that matter.

Ana simply giggled again as they continued to swim, "Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Wh-what happened to—" Darwin gasped, hyperventilating as he trembled in place. Two comforting fins grabbed the sides of his face, and a reassuring smile was before him.

"No need for those amthib...amflib.. _Aw_ , you get what I'm sayin—you're underwater, silly! You gotta swim!" Ana's face strained again as he fished for words, "...like a fish!"

So Darwin's horrified eyes faced forward, watching Ana as they swam through space, the only sound above the droning noise, was the cheery, carefree humming of Ana.

"I can't believe it's really you!" Ana chirped, "This is _so crazy—_ but awesome! Crazy awesome!"

Finally, all around them went white, before everything went dark, the last sound her heard, the happy laughter.

* * *

Gumball awoke to the sound of little feet pattering about the carpet. Opening his eyes, the natural sunlight that poured into the living room was rather intense. Not nearly as intense however, as the headache that made itself known as he struggled to get to his feet.

Now standing, he saw an uncanny scene. Before him, his mother and father in suspended animation, seated on the couch as they had been, faces indifferent. Upon the coffee table, were forms on a clipboard, ballpoint pens, and two mugs with tea bags hung over the rims. Behind the couch, two pink bunny ears moved back and forth as Anais paced, mumbling something to herself. Then, the ears stopped moving, stood, and before Gumball could register, she rounded the couch, sprinted towards him, and hopped high enough to catch in Gumballs scrambling arms.

Gumball flinched slightly as Anais nuzzled his cheek.

"You're alive!" Anais said with immense relief in her voice.

Gumball's eyebrow skewed, "Uh… yeah?" He blinked, "What else would I be?"

He realized the stupidity of his question as his eyes gazed over Anais's head, and back towards the eerily still forms of his parents. Behind them, the grandfather clock was paralyzed as well, hands set to thirty after six in the afternoon; pendulum hung and unmoving.

Anais finally hopped back to the floor, and shook some loose fur and dust free, brushing her dress with her paws, visibly tremoring.

"How long have I been out for?" Gumball rubbed residue his eyes as he took in the light and view of the living room's bay window, to a clearly animated and alive world he always knew. A bird flapped to a perch on some utility poles, some cars drove by….

"Nine hours." Anais answered as she walked beside him and let out a yawn. "I've kept count."

Neither said anything for several minutes, Gumball both transfixed and terrified by the contrast between the paralysis of his home, with the regularity of the rest of the world. The terror of the night before made him shudder. He quickly looked down beside him, ensuring his little sister was still there, and she very much was. Without thinking, he gently took her paw, and the two of them walked over to the front door.

He swallowed as he took once glance towards the television, it's screen pristine, its wood finish free of marks or a heavy sigh, he turned the knob.

Gumball stopped as he felt a gentle tug on his paw.

"What are we going to do?" Anais was herself gazing back towards the scene of the night before. Uncertainty in her eyes.

She looked up, and saw a confident smile on Gumball's face, as he pushed the door open, and stepped onto the porch, the sterile silence being replaced by the sounds of passing cars, the song of birds, and an airplane cruising miles above.

"We're gonna find your dorky little friends, and get Darwin back."

Anais watched a formation of birds flocking south as the two reached the sidewalk.

"Shouldn't we find Carrie, first?" Anais asked.

Gumball's confidence faltered. "Oh, yeah… right… her." He let go of Anais's paw as he put it to his chin. "Yeah, we'll go talk to her first... _then_ save Darwin, let's go!"

 _How can he be so lively right now… after all…_ Anais looked up from her downward gaze, as she realized to her wide-eyed horror, that Gumball was practically sprinting down the sidewalk.

"H-Hey, don't leave me here!" Anais cried as she strained her little legs, her feet thumping rapidly hard against the pavement as she struggled to catch up. She did as they met a crossing, and she forcefully took his right paw in hers, standing as close as she could without being a tripping hazard.

Gumball, startled, looked down to see Anais glaring up at him, free arm akimbo. He simply smiled that devious smile of his, grabbed her under the arms, and carried her, pretending briefly to schlep, which earned him a paw to the face.

Anais was both frustrated by his seemingly lax attitude, and seemingly carefree demeanor, but nonetheless, she rest her head on his shoulder, and gently rest her arms around his neck, eyes growing heavy as she bobbed up and down rhythm with his quickened pace.

This was only the beginning of a very long day.

* * *

Darwin's eyes shot up once more and he could feel again. A bed below him, a comforter around him, the smell of something delicious cooking. He opened his eyes and found himself in a room seemingly built of coral or sand, the waves far above casting shifting, dappled shadows on the wall through a large circular window beside the bed.

Darwin sat up and peered through it. He saw what appeared to be a city built of coral, various plants that looked like clumps of seaweed were shaped into trees that lined the streets, with lilies and other exotic flowers planted nearly in hanging baskets and a distant botanical garden. Fish of all classes and colors swam along the lanes below as they went into homes, shops, and everywhere else.

It was surreal, yet at the same time…

"You're awake!" That shrill, juvenile squeal practically gave Darwin a heart attack.

Ana chuckled to herself as he hopped onto the bed, and patted Darwin on the side.

"Spooked ya again, huh?" Ana giggled, "Man you startle easy. Dad's gonna _love_ that."

 _Dad…_ Darwin mouthed.

Ana's eyes brightened, "Yup!" he squaled before wrapping his fins tightly around Darwin.

"I missed you… _big brother."_ She pulled away, her eyes gleaming and full of wonder. "Come on!" she sniffled, wiping a stray tear, "Supper's almost done, if it isn't already!"

Ana grabbed Darwin's fin, and raced out the door, bubbles surging around the two of them. They swam through a hallway decorated with pictures of three fish, blurred to orange-and-white blobs by their terrific speed.

As they rounded an archway, a dining room came into view; a long oak table, set with four placemats, bowls, and napkins. Seated at the end of the table was a husky goldfish, about two times Darwin's size, who was currently reading a thick novel, reading glasses perched carefully on his nose.

"Daddy! Mom! Look who I found?"

The goldfish lowered his book-then, he met Darwin's eyes, and it fell, unheeded, from his fins.

"What was that, Annie dear?" came a sweet, melodic voice from deeper in the house. A White Cod swam into view, then froze as she saw Darwin.

For a long, aching moment, no one moved. Then, the white fish began to cry, and surged towards him.

She yanked Darwin in for a forceful, yet not unkind, embrace. "Is it really?" she blubbered.

"Yup!" Ana said proudly.

The cod looked up at her daughter, then back down at Darwin. "It's _you!"_ she cried. "It's really, really you!" she pulled away, sniffled, then pulled him back in for an even bigger hug, her body shaking with a fresh round of sobs. Darwin squeezed his eyes shut, and felt a few tears roll down his own cheeks.

"Now come on Elle," the big goldfish's voice trembled as he swam over to the reunion, "Let's not make a scene…"

"Trevor, our baby…" Elle whimpered, "He's…" She turned suddenly to Ana. " _How_?" she whispered.

Ana wiped her eyes with a fin. "I was out playing near the old school, and… he just… _showed up."_

Trevor stared at her intently, then, gently pried Darwin from Elle's arms. He grabbed Darwin's left fin, then lifted it up, looking for something. Darwin had never been held like this before-had never had _anyone_ make such a fuss over him-but still, he felt uncomfortable, almost _exposed_ in Trevor's- _Dad's_ -grasp.

Trevor stared at something under his fin, then looked up into Darwin's face, his eyes shining.

"It can't be…" Trevor breathed-and a slow smile crept across his face. " _My boy!"_ he cried, pulling him in for an enormous bearhug. Elle swam in and kissed him over, and over, and over again. .

"Did you see it, Trevor?" Darwin's mother said, sobbing.

"My word, Elle...he's..." Darwin's father said shakily as his grin widened.

He turned to Darwin, his eyes full of tears. "Welcome home, Charlie," he said-then drew Darwin in for another hug, and wept.

Darwin smiled, then turned his head back to Ana. She watched him proudly-and with more than a touch of jealousy. She looked up at him, then quickly looked away.

Elle glanced up. "Ana, get the photo albums!" she cried, finally letting Darwin go. She turned back to Darwin with a fond smile. "We… we never thought…" she began, then sniffled and wiped her nose. "Can you believe this?" she said to no one in particular.

"You don't remember, do you?" Darwin's father asked as Ana swam away. "You were but a small fry way back then… shoot, it's been…" he glanced curiously at Darwin. "How old are you now?"

"Ten." Darwin answered.

Trevor stared at him a moment, then slowly shook his head. "It's a miracle," he murmured, as Ana swam back into the room. "A goddamned miracle."

* * *

Anais was awoken by the sound of knocking, or more appropriately, banging.

Her sleepy eyes watched as Gumball stood before Carrie's front door, muttering some curse, and futily banging the door again with a clenched fist.

"Not here?" Anais yawned, a startled Gumball shook his head.

"No," He replied, eyes widening as a lightbulb went on in his head, "But maybe…"

Gumball climbed onto the railing of the porch, and lept up to catch the frame of a window, which he climbed, before leaping onto the roof above. Anais heard his feet thump against the shingles as he strut over to what she could only imagine was Carrie's window.

"Shit." She heard him say, before he knocked on the window, much less forcefully that the door.

Anais watched from the porch as a couple cars passed by. She could hear, just barely above a gentle breeze and bird calls, someone watching a game show. Her focus on the scene before her was shattered as Gumball swung off the trim of the roof, and landed on all fours just feet from where she stood.

"Not home, I guess." Gumball sighed, "She picked a _great_ time to bail. I guess this is the part where we go find your boyfriend."

"What are you-" Anais said, frazzled, "He is _not_ my boyfriend! We are not a thing! How could you even-"

"Handwritten notes, sneaking out late at night for "studying"," Gumball smirked, "Pa-lease, I know that bit like the back of my hand."

"I can assure you…" Anais began, lifting a finger, only to retract it as a thought occurred to her. "That note was from last night, Gumball. How do we know they're there?"

"We go check, that's how." Gumball answered, once again walking quickly towards the hills that loomed over east Elmore's sprawl, "Darwin ain't gonna save himself. Let's go, smitten kitten."

* * *

 ** _README:_** _Hey gang, be sure to leave a comment about your thoughts on the story so far, any critique, criticism... anything. Comments show me people are still interested in this thing. More than one word would be appreciated. See y'all when the next chapter is done._


	23. The Spiral: Part lll

It was a sunny saturday morning in the sleepy exurb of Elmore. 73°, and clear skies; perfect for a leisurely, lazy day out by the water, or in the comfort of home.

Or, hiking a large ridge, riddled with snakes, tumbleweeds, and thorns.

They had finally made it up the dirt trail that lead them from the base of Big Signal Hill, to the top. They would've taken less than an hour, had Anais not spent a good ten minutes whining and crying about a goathead in her foot.

Pinning her down and removing it while trying to avoid a swift kick to the face was an adventure in and of itself-but then, she'd _insisted_ he carry her the rest of the way, as she was in no fit state to walk (regardless of the fact she had no qualms about stamping her wounded foot when he initially refused). He had no problem dropping her on her butt as they made it to the top-she wasn't heavy, but she wasn't weightless, either.

Gumball inspected the crest of the hill, then turned and walked to where Anais lay, moaning dramatically. "You gonna make it, sis?" Gumball asked, rolling his eyes. She answered him with a _vicious_ glare.

"Sure would suck if I _didn't,"_ Anais hissed. " _Especially_ since you didn't have the forethought to bring any _water."_

Gumball tried his best to suppress laughter, but a few errant snorts and sideways grins escaped.

"We're _here,_ you big baby." Gumball leaned down and patted her teasingly on the head, earning another glare.

Anais stood up, brushed herself off, and looked behind her, seeing that indeed they had arrived at… well, _wherever_ they were. Several large radio masts towered over the hill, their radiance bringing overplayed pop music, opinionated shock jocks, and angsty metal ballads to the citizens of Elmore. Surrounding them was tall, unkempt grass, enclosed by tall, imposing chain-link fences; their signs making it _very_ clear they were not welcome.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Anais said, as she slowly walked over to inspect a sign.

"You want me to be wrong?" Gumball asked.

"No." Anais sighed, then turned to follow her brother as he headed towards the nearest fence, looked it up and down, then began to climb it.

" _Gumball!"_ Anais whined, "How do you even know that's the right one…? And what about _me?"_

"Well," Gumball smirked, as he carefully lifted his leg over the barbed wire, "If your little friends are anything like you, they aren't going to be too far from here." He landed in the grass on his feet, brushing some grime off his sweater, and then disappeared behind the overgrowth.

" _Jerk,"_ Anais growled to herself as she stomped towards the fence, and without another thought, hopped up, and climbed the fence herself. It was only two-thirds up, that she bothered to look down.

She froze in place, and whimpered softly.

Gumball rounded the derelict building that sat at the base of the transmitter, pointedly ignoring several foreboding signs continued to advise against trespassing and electrocution. He spotted a simple door, and knocked three times, then whistled to himself as he waited.

The knob turned, and the door opened only slightly, revealing Billie. He stepped out from behind the door, looking most unhappy.

"You have no business being here." Billie stated, his voice flat and emotionless.

"Like hell I don't," Gumball said, "What do you know about The Void?"

Billie laughed that pompous laugh of his. "What could you _possibly_ care about such abstract and foreboding things? This isn't some gathering of conspiracy theorists and crackpots good boy, this is serious work of studious men." He turned slightly away. "Now, run along before your hurt yourself."

Gumball clenched his fist, as he took a deep breath. "We need your help," he said through gritted teeth.

"Who is this ' _we'_ you keep referring to?" Billie looked around, "I see but _one_ layman before me."

Gumball blinked, looking beside him, and noticed, for the first time, that Anais was not beside him.

"Oh, well, I'll uh… be right back." With that, Gumball ran back through the grass, and saw Anais hanging six feet off the ground, trembling as she gripped to the fence for dear life.

Without another word, he scaled the fence, grabbed her in one arm, and hauled her over the top of the fence, barely clearing the wire. With Anais safely tucked under one arm, he dropped back down and landed on his feet again, though it _hurt_ this time around.

"Found them." Gumball said flatly. "As usual, your boyfriend is being a douchebag, so I'll let you handle it." Without another word, he turned and marched back towards the shack.

"Ah, Anais! So good to see you!" Billie greeted as the two returned. "I must ask though, why is _he_ along?"

Anais pressed her lips into a thin line. "You offered to help us, didn't you? Well, we need it. Our brother was taken to The Void, and we need to rescue him."

Billie said nothing-only slid back behind the open door, then closed it.

"What the hell?" Gumball said with an angry glance at Anais.

Anais sighed heavily. "Just give it a minute," she said. "He's talking to them."

"Who's _them?"_

The door opened, this time wider. Billie peeked out, then gestured Anais to enter. As Gumball made to follow, Billie held out his hand to stop him, but Gumball effortlessly shoved it away as he sauntered through, seeing the Eggheads, two anthropomorphic eggs who frequented the school library.

Amidst the racks of electronics, a desk with a beige CRT monitor, and a tall antenna lurking in the corner, stood a simple card table holding two laptops, headphones, and an oscilloscope. Gumball walked delicately across the floor, careful to avoid stepping on the juiceboxes, coaxial cables, and assorted other debris.

"We've been observing some rather vexing anomalies as of late," Billie said solemnly. " Both the ones I mentioned to you before, and some new ones we've discovered this week. It's been a fairly consistent pattern of activity, with a couple spikes in the last few days…"

"Whatever is is," one of the eggheads added, "It's producing a _ton_ of electromagnetic energy."

"You say something happened to your brother, do you?" Billie said, taking Anais's arm and leading her towards the open computer, "Well, we _did_ notice a spike in radioactive activity… around seven-thirty?"

Anais glanced back at Gumball who was inspecting an audio limiter.

"Honestly," Billie scoffed, "What good is he again?" He yelped as a Anais grabbed him tightly.

"Around there, yeah." Anais answered, as if she hadn't heard his squeal. "Our parents are in a state of suspended animation, and have been since the abduction."

"So you can show us where this is?" One of the eggheads asked.

Gumball looked over at him, a slight frown on his face. "Who… are you again?" he asked.

"Bean." The bespeckled egg answered. "Frank." replied the egg with braces. "We've met before, actually-"

"Yeah, I know." Gumball interrupted impatiently, "Yes, we can show you where these… _portals_ are."

"Very well then." Billie walked over to his laptop, closed it, and grabbed a suitcase from the back of the room.

"Shall we?" he asked.

* * *

As the way home was downhill, it only took forty minutes for the gang to arrive at the Watterson house. Billie, Bean, and Frank went immediately to Nicole and Richard who were very much still frozen in time and place.

"Peculiar," Billie noted out loud, turning to Anais, "So you say their inactivity began shortly _before_ the encounter?"

"Yeah," Anais nodded. "One among several interesting occurrences."

Frank tapped the TV screen with a pen, it rang dull and short.

"Nothing suspicious here," He noted as Bean rotated the TV, and removed the back panel. "Just a typical cathode-ray tube, some circuitry… wiring… nothing out of place."

"Where did you say one of these entry points to the Void was?" Billie asked as he and Anais watched the TV inspection.

"Upstairs," Anais answered, "In Gumball's room."

"Very well then," Billie started, gesturing to Gumball who simply watched from the couch, "Which way to your room, good sir?"

"I'll show you." Gumball said as he hopped off the couch, and lead Billie upstairs, the others soon following behind.

Throwing the door open, Gumbal marched immediately to the where the crease had been, only, it wasn't, the drywall, and trim were as if nothing had ever disturbed it.

Billie stared at the blank wall for a moment, turning with a skeptical eye towards Anais.

"Pretty sure I'd remember where a gaping hole in my wall would be." Gumball said, "Especially when that hole leads to… whatever the hell the Void is."

Billie sighed, "Well, I suppose there's only one way to know for sure. Boys?"

With that, Frank and Bean brought their suitcase to the end of the room, opening it carefully to reveal a large metal box with exposed coils and a digital timer.

"What is that?" Gumball asked,

"This good man, is a Interdimensional Traversion Assistant, or ITA." Billie explained

Gumball rolled his eyes. "English?"

"Basically, if there _is_ a portal to The Void..." Frank began,

"...then this will re-open it." Bean finished.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Gumball flicked Billie in the head as he walked over to where Anais stood, placing a paw on her shoulder, "The more I understand, the easier it will be for all of us."

"Mmhm, right." Billie said quickly as he carefully lifted the box out from the suitcase, and gingerly set it down against the wall, connecting a large alligator clip from one of the coils, to a long cord attached to a TNT plunger.

"Stand back, everyone." Frank cautioned, as he rounded back into the hallway, "I'm gonna press it."

"Honestly, I don't know why we have the door open," Anais glowered. "Remember? the last time-"

A thunderous bang, and the seismic force of the blast would have toppled Anais on her behind, save for two familiar blue paws that grabbed her under her arms.

Sure enough, the could hear the suction as the vacuum of the Void began to tear the drywall, uproot the carpet, and erratically consume anything that wasn't nailed down: the desk, the bed, the carpet, _everything_.

Then, just like that, the suction stopped.

Anais slowly squirmed free of Gumball's tight grip, as she shakily stood to her feet, joined by Billie and the Eggheads.

"See?" Anais said, annoyed, "Had I not closed the door, we would've been in there!"

"That _is_ what we want at some point, though, isn't it?" Bean asked.

"Well yeah, but…" Anais glanced back at her brother who remained sitting against the wall. "Not yet."

"I do say," Billie said with a cocky grin, "That was positively _exhilarating_ , wasn't it, boys?"

"A little…" Frank conceded, "But, it makes you wonder, if things can go in there… do you think anything can come out…"

His speech faltered as they were startled by a hissing sound from beyond the door, followed by a quick jolt of the floor. Anais yelped as she felt a paw grab her arm.

Just as she was swept off her feet, Gumball started on a mad dash towards the stairs, a spider-like leg slammed through the door with incredible force, clearing Billie's head by not more than an inch.

A second leg, followed by a third, shot through the door apart as the three boys made a run for it, scrambling down the stairs as the eight-legged freak scuttled to the top of the landing, and made a terrible screeching sound.

Gumball was the last out the front door, as he ushered the panicked misfits towards the car.

Anais and Billie both grabbed the door handles, but their sweaty hands made their grip slip.

"Gumball!" Anais cried. Just as she did so, she heard the shatter of glass, and then another, and then hit the ground as she dodged a sizable rock as it crashed through the window above her.

"Come on, dammit!" Gumball screamed as he jumped and slid across the hood, busting the driver's window with a grimy brick, and climbing in, and smashing the keyhole, and turning the switch just as the spider burst through the front of the house.

Without another word, his leadfoot the gas, and the car lurched forward, with Billie and Bean slamming into the rear of the front seats, while Bean simply flew forward, and hit the center console.

Anais watched the tract houses and trees slid into a blur as the car erratically weaved around traffic. She looked over to Gumball, whose eyes seemed fixed and confident.

"Are you _sure_ you know what you're doing?" Anais asked, scared.

"Look sis," Gumball said, "I've played enough carjacking, cop killing murder simulators to know what the hell I'm doing. Make sure your boyfriend isn't dead."

She opened her mouth to speak, but declined, clicking her seatbelt, and glancing behind to see her friends, dazed, confused, but fine enough.

"What _was_ that thing?" Gumball asked as he took a sharp turn, the tires screaming against the pavement as he barely drift past a utility pole.

"Something otherworldly, that's for certain," Anais answered, "What do you guys think?"

"I'm sorry," Billie said, light-headed, "I can hardly concentrate on such matters with your kin driving like a manic stuntman."

"Could've just left ya, I guess," Gumball smirked, "Our eight-legged friend did look a little hungry."

"I don't believe now is an appropriate time for-"

"Brake check."

Again, Billie and Frank were sent flying into the back of a seat, and the windshield respectively.

Anais simply glared at Gumball as he laughed to himself, getting out of the car. She could see as she opened her own door, that they were at Carrie's house. Billie and company dizzily walked behind her as they approached the porch.

"I swear," Frank muttered, "Your brother is a psychopath."

"Tell me something I don't know." Anais said as she watched her brother casually knock on the front door, tapping his foot impatiently.

After a few moments, he sighed heavily.

"Hey blue boy," Gumball pointed at Billie, "Get me that rock over there."

Billie simply glared at him, "You aren't seriously suggesting-"

"Little sister, dearest of kin," Gumball sighed, "Fetch me that moldy stone over yonder."

"What are you…"

Gumball's eyes narrowed. Anais sighed as she obediently grabbed a loose brick from a small garden wall, and handed it to Gumball.

He then walked over to the right window, peered through for a few moments, and then slowly stepped backwards, hurling the brick through the window, and barreling out of the way as glass shattered.

As he pushed himself with his hands, the door opened, revealing a peeved Carrie, arms crossed and icy glare fixed on a frozen Gumball. Vlad could barely contain his laughter, snickering stupidly behind the door.

Gumball opened his mouth to speak, but was paralyzed. Anais muttered a curse as she slid a hand over her scarlet face.

"Come on in," Vlad invited between snorts and snickers. "Sure know how to make an entrance, dfon't ya, boy?"

Gumball slowly got to his feet as the others filed in.

* * *

Darwin never thought he would be so enamored in a photo album, of the mundane moments of underwater creatures, but he was. These were the memories and moments of his parents… sister… his _real family_. Ana's first day of school, Dad's promotion to supervisor of a major engineering outfit, that one time Ana rode a giant jellyfish home.

With a trembling fin, Elle finally turned to a final page, in it were but three pictures, and at first Darwin simply looked at them like all the others, until his eyes met his own.

But a fry himself, there was his infant self, swaddled in his mother's arms, Dad behind her, both beaming proudly. Another showed little Darwin in a bassinet, surrounded by toys, with a mobile mostly cut out of the shot.

Then, the final photograph, a slightly older Darwin, maybe three or four years old, posing for a picture near a popular submarine volcano. He didn't remember any of this, in fact, it seemed almost fake to him.

As he stared, he was drawn close as Elle began to cry softly, letting go shortly after.

"Alright you three," Trevor said, Darwin looked up, saw him with a camera, flinching as he felt Ana nudge him as she posed for the picture.

After the first flash, Trevor fiddled with something behind the camera, and then hurriedly swam over beside Ana. Darwin glanced back briefly, seeing a sincere smile on his face; hers too.

"I hope you aren't upset with us," Elle said quietly as she put the album away.

"Wha-" Darwin said, shocked, "Why would I be _upset_? I mean, I feel a lot of things right now… but upset isn't one of them."

"That we… moved on." Elle continued, glancing away for a moment, "It's unheard of for them to come back after being taken away by the humans."

"Is that what happened?" Darwin asked, curious. "I don't remember any of it."

"What _do_ you remember?" Elle asked.

"Well?" Darwin put a fin to his chin in thought, "I remember being in some weird shop...inside of a van. A bunch of exotic pets and stuff…"

Then he remembered Richard… then Gumball, Anais… their pained faces as he was whisked away at the hands of two goons he still knew little about.

He shook his head furiously,

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Elle panicked, "What happened?"

"Well," Darwin fidgeted as he heard his father and sister enter the living room again. "I was adopted. I mean, I was technically their pet fish, but…"

"Pet.. fish? Like our catfish, Zach?"

Darwin's blinked, the name struck a familiar chord. "Zach?"

"Yeah," Ana smiled, "No surprise you haven't met him yet, he's a little blue catfish… he doesn't come out much." Ana's face brightened, "I'll go get him!"

"Sorry if she's a little much," Trevor smirked, "We told her about you when she was really young and, well, she's always insisted that someday you'd return. She's… ecstatic."

Elle seemed to have missed all of that, "So.. who was this adoptive family?"

"Oh!" Darwin remembered, "The Wattersons, the… dad, Richard, is this _huge_ rabbit. He wears a clip-on tie, but doesn't work. Then there's Nicole, the mom, she's a blue… cat. She's pretty nice."

Elle's eyes widened, "Cat? As in a feline?"

"Zeus sake, Elle," Trevor laughed, " let him finish."

"Then there's my best friend, Gumball, a blue kitten, he's like a brother to me… we'd play videogames together, go on crazy adventures, he was actually the one who figured out I could talk and… saved me."

"From what?"

"Well, before they adopted me, they accidently flushed me down the toilet thinking I was dead, and I actually.. Returned to the sea, I wanted to go home, so I landed on the beach and, well, should've died I guess, but Gumball and I… we have a special bond, we can feel each other in our hearts, and somehow… I grew lungs and a new heart, and I just… found my way home."

"Well," Trevor said, "You don't have lungs now, do you?"

"I sure hope not," Darwin chuckled half-heartedly, "I definitely don't have legs, anymore."

"Well, they were kinda weird." Ana said, earning glares from her parents. "I mean… interesting."

"I don't miss 'em," Darwin waved a fin, "It actually feels kinda good now…"

"You don't miss your old family?" Ana asked.

"I mean… I do," Darwin glanced away, "But, I'm _really_ happy to be with my true family, too."


	24. The Redo (Author's Note)

There comes a point in doing something, that you realize that either you don't enjoy it, or that it just isn't working. It isn't often that I realize this when writing, especially something as menial as fanfiction, but here we are.

Effective immediately, I am cancelling this version of The Tomcat, and will be writing the story from the ground up, with an editor, and with proper foresight and direction.

I know this won't sit well with… probably any of you, but hey, this is my fic, my story I want to tell, and I want it done right, and I want it done well. What we have here is inconsistent, incoherent, and at a creative impasse that I'd rather just not struggle to overcome. Writing is supposed to be fun, and when it isn't, you try something else.

In terms of a time of when this "rebuild" will see the light of day, it depends. I wouldn't expect anything before summer of next year. As stated before, this fic will be 100% completed before any of it is posted.

Thanks for your understanding, and thank you for making it to this point. I hope you enjoy what is to come.


End file.
